Step-parent / Family Adoptions
In an adoption proceeding, a married stepparent is able to establish a legal relationship with their spouse's child. The process for a stepparent adoption is more streamlined and involves less requirements than other adoption proceedings.
An adoption case starts by filing a Petition for Adoption. The Petition is filed by both the stepparent and the spouse of the stepparent.
For an adoption proceeding, the Judge needs to terminate the rights and obligations of the biological parent (the one that is not married to the stepparent). A biological parent can consent to the adoption proceeding instead of requiring the Judge to order it.
Once a Final Judgment of Adoption is ordered, the Office of Vital Statistics issues a new birth certificate for the child showing the adoptive parents' names. As a result of the stepparent adoption, the stepparent who is adopting will become the full legal parent of the child. It will be as if the child was born to the stepparent.
If a biological parent can't be found, Florida law provides several steps that must be followed to try to locate the absent parent before proceeding with the adoption.
Under Florida Statute §63.064, termination of parental rights of the absent parent is generally allowed if that parent has either:
As of January 6, 2015, with the legalization of gay marriage statewide, stepparent adoption in Florida is available to gay and lesbian married couples.
We help clients throughout Florida. We file stepparent adoptions in Lee County. You do not need to be a Lee County resident to work with us in completing your stepparent adoption.
If all parties are consenting to the adoption, the process usually takes two months to complete.
An adoption case starts by filing a Petition for Adoption. The Petition is filed by both the stepparent and the spouse of the stepparent.
For an adoption proceeding, the Judge needs to terminate the rights and obligations of the biological parent (the one that is not married to the stepparent). A biological parent can consent to the adoption proceeding instead of requiring the Judge to order it.
Once a Final Judgment of Adoption is ordered, the Office of Vital Statistics issues a new birth certificate for the child showing the adoptive parents' names. As a result of the stepparent adoption, the stepparent who is adopting will become the full legal parent of the child. It will be as if the child was born to the stepparent.
If a biological parent can't be found, Florida law provides several steps that must be followed to try to locate the absent parent before proceeding with the adoption.
Under Florida Statute §63.064, termination of parental rights of the absent parent is generally allowed if that parent has either:
- Deserted the child without means of identification or has abandoned the child and/or
- Has been declared incompetent and restoration of competency is medically improbable.
As of January 6, 2015, with the legalization of gay marriage statewide, stepparent adoption in Florida is available to gay and lesbian married couples.
We help clients throughout Florida. We file stepparent adoptions in Lee County. You do not need to be a Lee County resident to work with us in completing your stepparent adoption.
If all parties are consenting to the adoption, the process usually takes two months to complete.