Nassau Family Lawyer

Helping You Through The Stepparent Adoption Process

How Can Our Nassau County Divorce Lawyer Help You?

Marrying a spouse that already has children can be an enriching experience. Getting to raise your stepchildren is a fulfilling experience that few others can match. However, to make it even more fulfilling, many stepparents consider adopting their stepchildren. At Simonetti & Associates, our team is well versed in this area. Our Nassau County divorce lawyer will walk you through the stepparent adoption process, allowing it to be done quickly and efficiently.

Rights And Responsibilities

When you enter into a marriage with someone who already has children, it’s important to remember that you initially don’t have the same rights and responsibilities as the biological parent. However, the stepparent adoption process changes this. Various aspects must go into this process before the adoption can be completed. Fortunately, our Nassau County divorce lawyer will be there every step of the way.

Termination of Parental Rights

Before being approved for the adoption, you’ll first need to get consent from the other biological parent. They will need to terminate their parental rights before the process can move forward. This means that the other custodial parent must give up the following before receiving approval:

  • Power to make any decisions regarding their child
  • Visitation rights
  • Rights to communicate with the child without you and your spouse’s consent

Additional Aspects

In addition to having the other biological child give up parental rights, our Nassau County divorce lawyer warns that it is not all you will need to have the adoption process approved. You’ll also need consent from both your spouse and the child you’re looking to adopt. In New York, your stepchild’s consent will be required if they are above 14. Additionally, the court will need to have a social worker perform an investigation to confirm that the adoption is in the child’s best interest. However, if you’ve been living with your stepchild longer than a year, this investigation may not be required.

Contact Our Nassau County Divorce Lawyer

Under any circumstances, adoptions can be a complicated process. When it involves your stepchildren, you’ll need the help of our divorce lawyer to accomplish this goal. At Simonetti & Associates, we want to make this process simple and easy. If you’re looking to adopt your stepchild, don’t hesitate to contact our team today.  

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Nassau County Divorce Lawyer