Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

Step parent/child

My daughter is 13 years old. Her real father has never been in her life. He is not on the birth certificate. My fiance wants to adopt her and that is what she wants. What do I have to do as far as the court is concerned. I heard I had ro place an add looking for the father? Is that correct?


Asked on 4/24/08, 5:19 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

Re: Step parent/child

You must file a petition for adoption and "serve" the bio father with the petition, to afford him the opportunity to contest it, as unlikely as that is. If you don't know his whereabouts, you accomplish service by publishing a notice of the petition in a newspaper that serves the area of his last known address. I urge you to hire an attorney who handles adoption matters and knows how to get this done for you correctly.

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Answered on 4/25/08, 11:42 am


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