First of all, where is the other parent? They have rights to custody if this parent does not want it.
Secondly, who are you in this scenario? If you want custody you have to file for it and make it legal. If you want to formally adopt then see an adoption attorney but unless both parents cosent to it, adoption will never happen.
You need to see an attorney and find out if you can legally keep these kids. You cannot ask or file for support unless you have custody by the courts.
Thank you Duranie for responding. Actually, I've had full-custody of this child for almost 4-years. The other-bio-parent was MIA for a long time with drug/alcohol addiction and actually signed consent forms for us to adopt. The kids were each in foster care for over a year (abuse/neglect by the bios) and 2-of the children are now in extended family homes. One child is with grandparents. The bio I'm talking about said they would consent, got all documents, signature of other bio-parent, delivered the papers to her and paid for her attorney, then she contested.
The judge in the adoption stated that if it were completely on the best interest of the child, the adoption would definitely go through. Due to the law, her 6-phone calls in 2-years and 2- one- hour, supervised visits constituted her not abandoning the child.
So, there we are. Will that give you enough information to be able to ask if we can get child support. Oh, the bio-parent in the adoption hearing asked for visitation and custody, but the judge ruled that she had enough problems with just herself, without adding a child into the mix and she's doing as good as she's ever going to do. He said since we've allowed contact with her whenever she asked, why change that now. (She's has severe mental issues, just tried to commit suicide last month, drug and alcohol addiction for 18-years and in trouble with the law everytime you turn around.)
If you add the one-year of foster care, the 4-years we've had the child, the bio-parent hasn't had custody for 5-years. BTW, the child is only 6.
