Stepparent Adoptions in Temecula

Becoming a stepparent to your spouse’s child is a big role that can be very fulfilling. If you are hoping to confirm your role by adopting your stepchild, this is another major step that can bring you closer together as a family. At Camarata & Fuller, LLP in Temecula, our family law team has more than 40 years of combined legal experience. You can rely on us to effectively guide you through the process of adopting your stepchild as smoothly as possible.

Reach out to our legal team today at (951) 225-1540 to set up a free initial consultation with one of our compassionate adoption attorneys to discuss your stepparent adoption case.

The Stepparent Adoption Process

Although adopting a stepchild does not come with the same obstacles and challenges associated with other forms of adoption, such as extensive screening procedures and home studies, it can still present some difficulties. By adopting your stepchild, you and your spouse will be the parents of the child and the biological other parent will essentially lose all parental rights. In some cases, if a parent is not involved in the child’s life and wishes to be relieved of any financial obligations, you may easily receive consent to the adoption.

If you cannot obtain the other parent’s consent, it may still be possible to adopt your stepchild. Before you can successfully adopt your stepchild, the other parent’s rights must be terminated. Please schedule a free consultation with our adoption attorneys to review the specific circumstances of your case. However, below are some general circumstances where a parent’s rights may be terminated.

Here are some circumstances in which that may be possible:

• The parent is found unfit due to neglect, abuse, or incarceration. There is generally a high bar for proving unfitness.
• The other parent has not contacted or financially supported the child for a year or more, also known as abandonment.
• If the other parent is not the biological father of the child, there may be other options available to terminate the other parents rights.

Whether you are able to obtain the other parent’s consent to the adoption or not, you should consult with an attorney to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Get Started on the Stepparent Adoption Process by Reaching Out to Our Legal Team!

If you wish to adopt your stepchild, the process is not as difficult as other adoptions, but it would still be wise to secure skilled legal counsel to ensure you do not run into any unnecessary delays. At Camarata & Fuller, LLP in Temecula, our stepparent adoption team can help you effectively navigate every step, so you can ultimately expand your role as a parent. You can trust us to provide the strong legal support you need.

Reach out to our law office today at (951) 225-1540 to set up a free consultation with a member of our team to learn more about what we can do for you.