Don’t trust just anyone to helpwith your family law issues
Depend On Our Aggressive Yet Compassionate Law Firm

Adopting your stepchild: Requirements

On Behalf of | Feb 6, 2019 | Adoption

You got married to the person you believe is the love of your life, and with them came a child. Their child is a joy, and you love raising them. Their other parent isn’t present in their life, and you’re interested in taking over that role.

There are many reasons why you should adopt a stepchild, though it is not always possible. Adopting a stepchild gives you the same rights as any biological or legal parent. This can give you more authority to help your partner’s child and to make sure you have the right to see them if you happen to divorce in the future.

How do you know if you can adopt your stepchild?

First, you have to think about whether or not this is the right choice for you. When you adopt your stepchild, it means that you’re accepting legal responsibility for the child regardless of what happens in your marital relationship in the future. Even if you get a divorce, you’ll still have to care for this child as if they’re your own.

However, legally binding a stepparent to a child is a great tool for making sure they can stay with them if the biological parent passes away. It’s also a possible way to provide additional stability to a stepchild who has no second biological parent or a parent who is not present in their life.

Can you adopt if both parents are still involved with your stepchild?

Usually not. When you adopt a stepchild, the usual course is for the biological parent, whether it’s a father or mother, to give up their parental rights. Obviously, if they are still involved in your stepchild’s life, they won’t necessarily want to give up those rights. In most cases, it’s not possible for you to adopt a child who already has two biological parents who are bound to them.

There are cases where you can ask a judge to take away another parent’s rights. For example, if the other parent is dangerous or tries to hurt the child, then the judge may be willing to terminate the parent’s parental rights. If a parent abandons the child for a long period of time, then this could also lead to a judge terminating their parental rights.

If you’re interested in adopting your stepchild, you deserve to know more about the process and to know what you have to do to make it happen.

FindLaw Network

Need A Divorce Attorney In Knoxville?

We Have Your Best Interests In Mind

We’ll Help You Through The Most Difficult Times

Consultation

Learn About Our Firm