Legal Question in Family Law in Minnesota
Child Adoption Question
If a parent has full legal and physical custody of a child, can another (possible step-parent) adopt that child? Does consent have to be given by the natural parent even though there is no legal connections to that parent (including no child support payments)? Thank you for your help.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Child Adoption Question
If you know where the other parent is, you either need a written consent from that person, or you have to have a hearing after notifying the other parent of that hearing. If you can't locate the other parent, you need a court order giving permission to serve that person by publishing a notice in a legal newspaper. In any event, the parental rights of the noncustodial parent have to be dealt with, they can't just be ignored.
Good luck.
This response is for general information purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are advised to consult the attorney of your choice concerning the details of your case.