Legal Question in Family Law in Texas

I divorced my ex in Missouri and now our 4 children and I live in Texas and I am remarried. We started a step-parent adoption process 3 months ago and I don't know what is going on. We were told that TX had to recognize my divorce from MO before we can actually start the adoption and we are almost to that point finally. My ex got a certified letter 2 days ago from the court here stating that I filed to have our divorce modified and to take away all his rights, saying he abandoned the children and has to stay at least 150 ft from them (he still lives in MO). My lawyer hasn't told us anything and we knew nothing about this. I don't know if our lawyer did this or if it is the court. We can never get in touch with him, just his secretary and she doesn't know much. Our lawyer told us when we met him in March that this would take about 60 days start to finish but the adoption still hasn't even been filed. Is it normally hard for a step-parent adoption when the divorce was in a different state. I'm just lost and my ex is now upset and not willing to sign the papers he got the other day because of what they said. I appreciate any information you might be able to give me.


Asked on 6/25/12, 7:03 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Dunn Mark D. Dunn

Nothing happens in 60 days. A termination and adoption in 60 days? Impossible.

When you cross state lines, it gets complicated. First, Missouri has to decline jurisdiction in favor of Texas. Then Texas takes over and begins its slow process.

Start writing letters to your lawyer - paper letters, 45-cent stamps - no telephone calls or emails - asking him what's going on.

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Answered on 6/26/12, 6:16 am


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