Many times when parents first inquire about a stepparent adoption, the non-custodial parent is still somewhat involved in the child’s life. Either through child support checks alone, or perhaps sporadic visits here and there. One of the first questions that is asked, is how to get rid of the non-custodial parent, so that the stepparent can adopt the child involved.

Sometimes the non-custodial parent is in jail, or is abusive and the... more

If you are wishing to pursue a stepparent adoption case, due to a parent being unfit, but still have to have some sort of contact with the unfit parent, you can use those opportunities, when you are near the unfit parent, to gather the evidence that you need in order to help win your case of stepparent adoption.

For instance, if the unfit parent tends to be confrontational during the exchange of the child, or children, try meeting in a public place. Not only is it neutral ground, but you will also have plenty of witnesses around as well to watch whatever happens, which... more

When you are dealing with an unfit parent, who is unwilling to sign over his or her rights to the child to whom you wish to complete a stepparent adoption with, it can be a very frustrating, and sometimes heartbreaking experience. Sending a child into a dangerous, and or unhealthy environment, sometimes as the child cries and pleads not to go, can all but break a parent’s heart to pieces, not to mention make the parent feel powerless to help the child, as well as to control the situation.

But with all of the technological advances of today, it is getting... more

In many cases, when families are seeking to pursue a stepparent adoption, the petitioners are basing their case on the abandonment of the child by the absentee birth parent. But beware, if you are seeking to terminate parental rights on the terms of abandonment, and you are still receiving child support payments from the absent parent, in legal terms the child has not been abandoned. In many states child support is still considered a form of contact, and the courts will not allow a termination of parental rights, for a stepparent adoption under the terms of abandonment, no... more

Recorded phone calls, as well as voice mail messages, can really help you to prove that a parent is unfit, and or unstable, in a contested stepparent adoption case. In cases where Termination of Parental Rights is being sought due to a parent’s drug or alcohol abuse, recorded phone calls between the inebriated parent and the child, can prove to the court how detrimental and damaging it is to the child for this parent- child relationship to continue. You can record the phone calls by buying a small adaptor that is wired simultaneously to any phone jack in the house, and a mini cassette recorder. When the phone is answered, the mini cassette recorder... more

If you are in the very beginning stages, or thoughts of stepparent adoption, chances are, you are still dealing with an extremely, part time or absentee parent. The fact that there is still limited contact between the child and the absentee parent, can often deter many families from pursuing stepparent adoption, even when it would truly be in the best interest of the child to do so. But there are steps that you can take to strengthen your case for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), while the absentee parent is still hanging out in the corner of the picture.

Keep a journal, or log, of each time the absentee parent has contact with the child. This log will show... more