Adopting a Stepchild
Adoptions come in many forms, but the most common is adoptions of stepchildren by stepparents. Not only does this adoption solidify the parental bond between stepparent and stepchild, it puts full legal responsibility in the hands of the stepparent. It also eliminates those responsibilities for the birth parent who is not living with the child, if that birth parent is alive.
At the law firm of Anne E. Raduns, PA, we support blended families. We take pride in using stepparent adoptions to protect relationships in these types of families.
For a free initial consultation with stepparent adoption lawyer Anne E. Raduns, call us today at 352-433-4297 or contact our offices online.
The Reasons for Stepparent Adoptions
There is one important reason for stepparent adoptions: Stepparents are parents. Stepparents help their stepchildren with homework. They take their stepchildren to the doctor. They get involved and they stay involved.
Unfortunately, without an adoption, stepparents have no legal rights. If a stepparent's spouse become incapacitated or dies, the stepparent has no legal rights pertaining to the stepchild. If the stepparent and the birth parent get a divorce, no matter how long they were married and how much time the stepparent put into raising the child, the stepparent has no legal rights to remain involved in the child's life. Adoption gives a stepparent the same rights as a birth parent.
The First Step: Termination of Parental Rights
Termination of the birth parent's rights is the first step to stepparent adoption. In many cases, the birth parent is not involved in the child's life and will simply agree to the termination.
Occasionally, legal action needs to be taken to obtain termination of parental rights. Our law firm is willing to go to trial in order to solidify the bond between a stepparent and a stepchild.
Contact Us for a Free Initial Consultation
To discuss your case with family law attorney Anne E. Raduns, call us at 352-433-4297 or contact our offices online. Our law firm offers services to people in Ocala and throughout North Central Florida.
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