Stepparent AdoptionStepparent adoptions are governed by Florida Statute Chapter 63Document Preparation Service Through FALDP
Stepparents who adopt their stepchildren are special. Like other family adoptions, adoptions by stepparents are done with the best interests of the children held high. As it should be. When all parties agree, the process for stepparent adoptions in Florida is fairly simple. Sometimes the biological parent is not available to consent to the adoption. Other times the identity of the biological parent is not known. In either of these cases, the process is slightly more complex, but not at all impossible for a pro se litigant. Part of the stepparent adoption process is to terminate the parental rights of the biological parent. Termination of parental rights is never to be taken lightly. The biological parent being asked to terminate parental rights should search their heart, and seek legal advice if at all unsure about what to do. If All Parties AgreeIf all parties agree, it is simply a matter of completing the proper forms properly. Then those forms are filed with the clerk of court. At the time of the initial filing the joint petition for adoption is filed along with the Consent and Waiver by Parent. After the paperwork is entered into the clerk of court's system, then the couple seeking the adoption can request a court hearing. If a Biological Parent's Whereabouts is UnknownIf a biological parent's whereabouts is unknown, the couple seeking adoption must conduct a search for the parent gone missing. The Affidavit of Diligent Search is a list of places where they must search for the biological parent. The list includes things like: Prisons Hospitals Military An internet search U.S. Post Office; etc.
Whether to "Go Pro Se"Some people are perfectly comfortable completing the legal forms published by the Florida Supreme Court for pro se litigants. Other people become instantly confused and overwhelmed. Most people are somewhere between the two extremes. We, at the Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers support you. We are here to help. We cannot provide legal advice, and we cannot represent you in court. But we can certainly help you by preparing the forms for you. You provide us with the information, and we prepare the forms. Stepparent Adoption Document PreparationRequest a QuoteWhen you pay for document preparation services you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to the FALDP Disclaimer and Nonlawyer Disclosure displayed elsewhere on this site. After you "Request a Quote"Within 24 hours of your request one of our representatives will call or email. If you contact us on the weekend, we will contact you on Monday. We'll set up a time to speak on the phone with you to find out the information needed to complete the documents.You are invited to call if you need more information: 800-515-0496Call Toll FreeOperators are ReadyOr send us an email if you prefer. Our experienced and knowledgeable operators will be pleased to assist you. |
