QUESTION
how can my fiance legally adopt my children once were married?
Asked on Apr 08th, 2014 on Family Law - Ohio
More details to this question:
y childrens dad has been on and off in their lives ever since they were born. My oldest is now 7 1/2. He disappears for months at a time, then comes back and i let him start seeing them again, only to have him disappear without telling me over again. We were not married so i know that he has no rights unless he takes me to court to get rights. Currently my kids havent seen him since September 2013. We think he moved to Kentucky, but not 100% sure where he is right now. My fiance wants to adopt my children when we get married, but i dont know what or how to do this. I dont want their father to come back months later and try to get rights to them. I want his rights taken from him altogether. So what can I do?
1 ANSWER
Family Law Attorney serving Columbus, OH
Partner at
Law Offices of William L. Geary, Co., L.P.A.
3 Awards
The first question is whether the person who you think is the father of the children has been declared to be the father (if you weren't married to him at the time they were born). The second question is, "If he has been determined to be the father, does he have a support obligation for child support?"
You and your fiancee can do a "step-parent adoption" after you have been married for a year, if certain conditions are met. After you have been married for a while, talk with an attorney and see if the conditions can be met, in your case, after you have been married for a year.
Answered on Apr 08th, 2014 at 5:27 PM