Adoption
We help families formalize their bonds through the adoption process — stepparent adoptions and adult adoptions — by preparing all required legal documents.
What This Service Covers
Adoption creates or formalizes a legal parent-child relationship. We handle documentation for stepparent adoptions (a stepparent adopts their spouse's child) and adult adoptions (one adult adopts another, often for estate planning or to formalize long-standing family ties).
We handle the paperwork — ensuring the petition and all related forms are completed correctly in accordance with court requirements — so you can focus on what matters: your family.
Who Needs This Service
- Stepparents who want to legally adopt their stepchild
- Couples where the non-biological parent wants to adopt
- Adults seeking to formalize a parent-child relationship for inheritance purposes
- Foster parents whose foster child has become a permanent part of the family
Documents We Prepare
- Adoption Request / Petition
- Adoption Agreement
- Declaration of Stepparent
- Termination of Parental Rights (if applicable)
- Consent to Adoption
- Adoption Order
The Process
Consultation
We review your family situation and which adoption type applies.
Prepare
All petitions, consents, and declarations are drafted.
File
Your complete packet is organized for filing with the court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a stepparent adopt without the other biological parent's consent?
It depends. If the other biological parent has abandoned the child (no contact and no support for at least one year), the court may terminate their rights without consent. The absent parent still has the right to receive notice and contest the adoption.
Why would an adult adopt another adult?
Adult adoptions are most common for estate planning purposes — ensuring inheritance rights — or to formalize a longstanding parent-child relationship, such as with a foster child who has aged out or a stepchild who is now an adult.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact a By The People office near you for adoption document preparation.