[Nightsky2u]

I have a few questions regarding the adoption process for my children and wife.
I have already terminiated parental rights of my ex-wife last year, it will be one year this month.
Anyhow, I want my wife of 4 years to adopt them however the termination process has exhausted my $$$ so I want to fill out the paperwork myself, pay the court costs and hire the homestudy on my own without a lawyer.
First off, can this be done?
Second where can I go to get copies of the documents I will need to fill out?

Thanks,
Fred in Dallas, TX

[BrandyHagz]

Fred,

Lots of places online sell them…But first call the Circuit Court and ask them if they have the Motions and Petitions, or if you can get them in the Law Library.

Is a homestudy required for a stepparent adoption in Texas? I wasn’t aware that it was! You might want to look into that…I think, and I could be wrong, that what you do is go in front of the judge with your motion, and he assigns a caseworker who comes out and does a work up…not even really a homestudy…anyway…once the homestudy is done, you file your petition to adopt and appear, and viola!

Check with the circuit court and find out the steps! Absolutely, pro se stepparent adoptions are fairly easy and straightforward; you can do it on your own much cheaper than an attorney can!

(I’m not an attorney, so please, don’t take my advice as legal advice!)

[txtaylor]

Yes Fred, it is absolutely possible to do a "step-parent" adoption Pro Se.

Call the district court in Dallas and ask them if you can get the forms from your law library. I'm in Denton and that's where I found the information I needed. Also, as per Texas Family Code 162.005 (a) (3) a Social Study is not recquired for a step-parent adoption. It'll cost you filing fees (which could range from $150-$180) Call your local district clerk's office and ask. Once you file your petition for adoption a few things need to be done. You need to have your wife fingerprinted and the fingerprint card along with $15 needs to be sent to the Texas DPS to have a criminal record check. Let them know that you are in the adoption process and the results need to be sent to the court your case is assigned to. Once these are received you can go to your court and get a "court date". Go to your hearing and then the judge should grant your adoption since the termination has already happened. You will then file one more form with the clerk's office and that's the form to have the birth certificate amended. If you still have questions let me know.

Good Luck!

[JodyTG]

Hi, Jen!

I'm also in Denton County and it would be great if you can tell me exactly where you found the paperwork. The girl that I talked to at the District Clerks office when I was fact finding was less than helpful.

Thanks,
Jody

[txtaylor]

Hi Jody!

I just went to the court building there on McKinney and went to the law library which is on the 2nd floor. The ladies there can't help you with the forms, but they can help you locate the forms you are looking for. They are very helpful! Best of luck and let me know if I can help.

[lloana]

"
were can I get my wife's finger print and the card done?
how I'd know witch court my case was assigned to? please could you help me . We are just starting the process and we do not have any idea about adoption.We have the relinquished form signed one year ago. I have call everywhere: District court, circuit court and district clerk but nobady has been able to help us . We don't want to hire and lawyer as you know that is expencive and we have 3 children to adopt to. Help us please.


thank you

[txtaylor]

Hi Lloana,

OK, first things first, do you have the petition for the adoption? Is this a step-parent adoption? If so, I can email you the petition and other forms that are necessary for you. Once all of these are completed you will then go to your district clerk's office and file your paperwork. This usually costs approximately $150 - $200 depending on your county. Once this is completed you can then go to your local police department and ask them if they could fingerprint you for an adoption. They may charge you a couple of $$$ for doing this. Once you have that completed you will then need to send it to the Texas DPS. I can give you the address for them also. Send them a letter along with the fingerprint card giving them permission to do a background check and where to send the results when they are done. Send $15 along with it for processing fees. You will know what court your case is assigned to when you file your paperwork. Take a couple of copies of the petition and stuff so they can file stamp your copies. Once you find out what court your case is assigned to you can then contact the court clerk for that court and ask if the judge will require a social study for a step-parent adoption since the state of Texas doesn't require one for step-parent adoptions. If the judge requires one you will need to go in front of the judge and have him/her assign a counselor to do this. You will then need to contact that person and set a time to have your social study completed. Once the fingerprint results are back and only if you are required to have a social study those results are sent in you can then go to court. You might need to set a court date, but a lot of courts if it's not contested they have a specific time during the week that you just show up and the judge will hear your case. If I can be of further assistance let me know. I also have the form to send to the Bureau of Vital Statistics to have the birth certificate amended.

Good luck and best of wishes!

[lloana]

Hi Jen.
I really appreciate your help. Yes it's a stepparent adoption. If you can please send me all the forms you were talking about. Next Monday I'd be starting the adoption in Motgomery TX county.
If you don't mind I'll write to you every step I'll do. My E-mail address is grillogrillo774@hotmail.com

Thanks
Lloana

[j&Kbrown]

HI Jen,
This is my fist time talking to you but could you please help me also my ex has a attorney and it getting the paper work done to give up his rights but I dont know where to go from there. My husband now is going to adopt my daughter and we are in Liberty TX County please send me any help.
Thank you
Jamie & Kevin Brown

[txtaylor]

Hi Jamie & Kevin!

If you would give me your email address I can send you the forms and the procedure in how to do the adoption.

[garlandmom]

Jen,

I am also interested in getting this information. I am just starting to research step parent adoption, and I can't seem to find a good source of information on the internet. I have found forms in a few places, but I don't want to purchase anything without knowing for sure that it is exactly what I need. Please email me at renaali@netscape.net Thank you so much for any help you can give me.

Rena

[goldstob]

Jen,
You are very popular. I also need the papers if you don't mind sending them...I don't know that the BF will sign anything to give up rights...I was told that I did have to have a home study...Also - does the adoption have to be in the county of the divorce? my email is goldstob@pioneernrc.com thanks so much!
brandi

[alexanders_mom]

Please help. I live in Ft Worth TX, Tarrant County. My husband wants to adopt my children who are 12 and 8 and have no contact or support from their bio father in 3 years. I have been to the law library at the court, but they told me to just copy the papers I needed for step parent adoption then retype them with my info. This would be fine if their info was in better order and I maybe knew what I was doing. Any help anyone can offer with the paperwork to get started would be great.
I was reading some of the other postings about termination of rights etc, how does that affect the process if rights have not been terminated? Also about how much does the whole process cost? Wish $$$ were not an issue, but my husband and I lost our youngest child earlier this year and after hospital bills and funeral expenses their is not much left.
Thanks so much for any help you can offer!
Patti,
mom to Joe 12, Charlotte 8, Alexander an angel

[txtaylor]

Alexanders_Mom,

I can send you the paperwork that I used in Denton County. It should be the same. As for the termination, you can either try to ask the bio to voluntarily relinquish or you'll need an attorney. You can do it "pro se" and it doesn't cost as much. Let me know if you would like the papers!

[alexanders_mom]

I would really appreciate it if you would send the forms, my email address is NPJC4@aol.com.
Re: termination, bio father probably would consent to be off the hook for child support but we don't know where to find him......
Thanks for your help!