An Overview of the Stepparent Adoption Process

The stepparent adoption process requires numerous background checks and other documents. As Robinson & Henry Family Law Attorney puts it, the stepparent adoption process is a marathon, not a sprint.

This article offers an overview of the stepparent adoption process, including what background checks you’ll need and how to locate a missing biological parent. Of course, this article provides only a summary. A family law attorney can provide a full picture of the steps you’ll need to take to complete the adoption.

Meet with a Family Law Attorney About Stepparent Adoption

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How to Speed Up the Stepparent Adoption Process

The stepparent adoption process is can be an arduous one full of background checks, various documents to complete, and other court requirements. You will also need to submit your fingerprints. Essentially, the court wants to ensure you do not have past child abuse convictions.

So, if you plan to adopt a stepchild, our family law attorneys recommend beginning the background check process, including obtaining your fingerprints, as soon as possible.

Your Family Law Team can only begin to draft and submit the adoption petition once you’ve completed these tasks.

Types of Background Checks to Complete

• FBI Background Check
• Colorado Bureau of Investigations Background Check
• Colorado Trails Child Abuse and Neglect Check

The Biological Parent’s Consent in a Stepparent Adoption

Another step in the stepparent adoption process is to get the go-ahead from your stepchild’s biological parent. Depending on your family’s circumstances, this can be an easy box to check off or it can be the most difficult task on your list.

Common Roadblocks in a Stepparent Adoption

An Absent Biological Parent 

Often when a stepparent seeks to adopt a stepchild, the biological parent is deceased or not part of the child’s life. When the issue is the latter, it can be difficult to get his or her permission to adopt their child. This can be either because they cannot be located or they are unwilling to cooperate even though they are not present for the child.

If locating a biological parent is the problem, you may need the help of a professional. Our family law attorneys can assist you with hiring a private investigator or a skip tracer. A skip tracer is like a PI who is trained to locate missing people.

What if the Biological Parent Cannot be Found?

When you and your family law attorney have exhausted all your resources to find the parent, we can ask the court to serve the biological parent in other ways. For instance, we can convince the court to serve the parent through publication. That’s where your attorney files a notice to the biological parent in the newspaper.

Again, these are just some of the ways our Family Law Team can help you successfully adopt your stepchild.

Talk to a Stepparent Adoption Lawyer

Let’s discuss your circumstances and how we may be able to help you. We want to be able to get your case from point A to point B in the fastest and most effective way possible. Schedule a case assessment with a member of our Family Law Team at 303-688-0944.