I would like to adopt my two step-children

[IntenseSoul]

Hello. I am currently in the process of trying to adopt my two step-children, aged 10, 12. I have seen one attorney, however he wanted 15k for the whole process, and that is a bit out of my price range. My wife (paternal mother of both children) has done some research and made a few calls to a very nice clerk in our city hall. She has done great, however I would like a little bit more sound advice from some legal hats in this forum. Let me give you a little background.

Both children have been living with me now for 8 years. Their mother and I were married two years ago, but have been together for 9 years. Each of the boys has different fathers. The youngest one's father is in prison and will be so for another 5 years (9 years total of incarceration). The 12 year old's father quite simply wants nothing to do with his son. Both fathers were ordered to pay child support by the courts early on but never did. The 10 year old's father never once made a payment (go figure, he's in jail) and the 12 year old's father paid child support for about a 6 month period out of 8 years (about 120.00 a month). Both children want me to adopt them and the oldest's father is fine with it too since it get's him out of child support. The father in jail has had enough wake up calls to regret rarely being there for his son and has started to try and correspond with him regularly now, completely confusing my 10 year old.

I've never been in this for the money (child support). In fact, if anything, I struggled for many years until just recently raising a family of 4 (now 5 since I've added one of my own 3 months ago) on a decent, but not exorbitant salary. I love these kids as my own. I've taught them every principal I'm going to teach my biological newborn. I've sacrificed countless things for them to give them a better life and have never one day regretted it. I'm proud of them and cannot wait to give them my last name.

What I need to know so that I can progress from here is this. My wife has completed the mother's affidavit for both children. What other forms do I need for non-contested and contested (just in case) adoptions? Can my wife and I file these forms on our own? If not, what are reasonable fees to be expected by a lawyer providing these services and does anyone have any recommendations for a good lawyer in the Atlanta area?

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

 

[jesserin1998]

I am not a lawyer by any means but I am an intelligent person who has been dealing with adoption issues with my own daughter in two states, though neither of which is Georgia. In most states, step-parent adoption is a simple procedure. Find the forms you need online, the nice lady at the clerk of the courts office should be able to help you find them, and fill them out. Mail them to the clerk along with the fee necessary to file the paperwork. You should be contacted by the courts after that to establish a court date. Both of the biological fathers will be served with paperwork to terminate their rights as fathers of your children. If one contests this will be dealt with at the hearing and since he is in prison, he most likely won't be able to appear. His incarceration would likely be enough to have his rights terminated without his consent. At that point, you should sign the paperwork to say that you are the children's legal father. Take your picture with the judge if you like and take your kids home.

I hope it is actually this easy for you. I commend you for being a father to those kids and I hope that it all works out.