Legal Question in Family Law in California
I want to adopt my fiance daughter. I would love information on what to do. Is the process hard? Will it be deficult to adopt being she is already 15yrs old? Her mother & I plan on getting married soon. Will marriage make the process easier? Her mother is ok with it & the girl is excited about the idea of having a father. Her father died when she was a few years old. I have known her for about 8yrs but only really been in her life for a little over a year & half. Any legal info would be greatly appriciated. Thank you very much.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Since her father passed away, the biggest barrier is gone. You should definitely be married to her mother before applying to adopt her. Stepparent adoptions are usually very routine. An unmarried man adopting his female partner's daughter would be MUCH more complicated.