[bulvog]

Does anyone know the process that needs to be done in Texas when you are trying to terminate due to abandonment when you don't know wher the BF is? I have already filed the petition to terminate with the court and now have to try to serve him.

[joeyfoley]

We just finalized step-parent adoption in Texas. Bio-mother left the child 8 yrs ago and never returned nor paid any cort-ordered child support.

We did not know whereabouts of bio mother so we put the ad on the local newspaper (where the child lives and/or where the bio-mother lived) - "service by publication."
You can take the form to the district clerk's office and the constable will take it to the local newspaper and they will call you with cost to run the ad. The ad ran for 21 days and if the person doesn't contact you within 21 days, you can go in front of the judge to finish the adoption.

Now I have to tell you, our judge told us our adoption will be open-ended for 2 years since we did not have her consent and put the ad on the paper. He could grant the adoption that day we were at the court but he suggested to hire an ad litem attorney to represent bio-mother. That way, she will not have 2 years to find out about adoption and contest. Another word, the adoption is finalized, 200% done deal and she can not contest even a day after our adoption was finalized.

We eneded up hiring a private ad litem attorney (cost us about $500) since our county did not offer the services but big cities like Austin might have an ad litem attorney on staff (cheaper).

Also before you put the ad on the newspaper, we sent a copy of the “Termination & Adoption” and the “Voluntary Relinquishment” to her last known addresses - we did free people search on zabasearch.com and found total of 5 adresses. We had to show that to our ad litem and he decided the person was unable to be located..

GOOD LUCK!!!