Background. We met a couple back in 2012 and the woman was about 6 months pregnant. The couple was not ready to start a family. They were married (since divorced). Anyway they asked us to adopt the unborn child. We were advised by Hill Afb legal to get a written statement from the couple giving up... Read more »

You are welcome to contact our office and we can discuss this further. 801-546-3874.
The assault was in in Kansas, to my knowledge the father is in Montana and I live in alberta. I would like to adobt out to my sister in Utah.

What you are asking is highly complex and the correct answer is fact dependent. Please have your sister contact our office so we can discuss the same. Phone #801-546-3874.

The quick answer is no, but if you are talking about foster care adoptions, the DCFS will give preference to those who are willing to do so, for obvious reasons. If you would like to further discuss, please call our office at 801-546-3874.

Yes.
Mother doesn't know father of child. Married my now husband when child was very young and he raised child as his own. They divorced when she was about 5 but he continues to raise her by paying non-mandated child support and has custody every weekend. None of this is legally mandated as they... Read more »

Yes, there is a chance that he could adopt her. Give us a call so we can discuss this in detail and more fully determine the answer to your question.
PH: 801-546-3874
When the young man first came into my life, his mother had been caring for him. Soon after, the mother signed her parental rights over to the father. The father lives here in Utah, and has only seen him four or fives times in twelve years with no support. The mother now lives in New Mexico. She has... Read more »

Great questions, but in order to answer your questions, there are a lot of personal questions I need to ask you, which I am sure you don't want out in the open. Please call our office at 801-546-3874 and ask for myself, Jason Barnes.
My boyfriend and I are thinking about getting married. He wants to adopt my child, who's 4. I'm not sure of who his biological father is. I registered him as a single mother. Only me is on the birth certificate. How soon after we get married can we start the process and what is the process for that?

To answer your first question, you can start the adoption process now. However, please understand that 78B-6-136.5 states:
(2)(a) If the prospective adoptive parent is the spouse of the pre-existing parent, a final decree of adoption may not be entered until the child has lived in the home... Read more »
They filled out the adoption papers and had everything signed when they left Vietnam but never officially re-adopted the kids. Now that they are 18 and wanting to apply for college they show up as "non-citizens" even though they both have birth certificates and social security numbers.

There are a lot of questions be asked, so if you want to call our office, we can direct you.
I am a lawful permanent resident and my son is not my husband's biological son, I would like for my husband to adopt my son here in the US, I have the legal custody of my son is that possible, without the biological father consent ?

Your question, although seemingly simple, is very complicated and requires a lot more facts and analysis. If you would like, I would be happy to speak with you by phone if you would like to call my assistant and schedule up a phone consultation, or you can come and meet with me. The consult... Read more »
I have 3 kids from 2 different father's. My teenage daughters are from a dad who doesn't pay child support and lives in Kansas. He has not had any communication with them for 5 years since he got remarried. And my son who is 8, his father is incarcerated. Does my situation require a... Read more »

You can represent yourself in any court matter, the question is, do you know what you are doing? Adoption law is very complex, and this will be especially true for the facts you have provided. We offer free consultations and I suggest that you contact our office to at least get the details as... Read more »
We both consent to the adoption, but there are two issues that could create challenges:
1. Kevin's mother and I are divorced.
2. Kevin and I live in separate states. He lives in Utah, I live in Florida.
My questions:
1. Do I need consent from birth parents?... Read more »

Actually, the problem you have here in Utah, at the present moment (the buzz on the streets right now is that this might be changed next year) is that where you and his mother are divorced, when you adopt Kevin it will terminate his mother legal relationship with him. Here is the statute (see #1... Read more »
The child will most likely have special needs (because of his mother's drug addiction) as well. What steps do we need to take before we fly to Hawaii to pick up the baby? While we are there, we are only able to stay for about a week. What action needs to take place while we are in Hawaii?

I realize that this has already happened, but for future viewers, you most likely have to comply with the ICPC laws and obtain ICPC approval from both states' compact administrators. Private direct placement adoptions are very complex and require an attorney who knows what he/she is doing in... Read more »

The question is very fact dependent. I suggest that you call my office 801-546-3874 so we can discuss this matter in detail. Because of the nature of the question, any attorney you talk with about this will have to make sure that they do not have a conflict of interest.

The short answer to your question is no, you can represent yourself in any legal matter. However, the question you should have asked is, can an attorney help me find my birthparents if it was a closed adoption? The answer is, probably not.

It depends entirely upon the facts and circumstances. You are welcome to call my office to discuss the matter in further detail assuming we do not have any conflicts with the parties.
My wife and I have been married for 1 year and 6 months. She and her ex-husband had a child, but got divorced.
They separated when their daughter was maybe 6 months-old.
I have been providing for the child ever since. We got married after she was divorced.
I am in the... Read more »

The question is very fact dependent. I suggest that you call my office so we can discuss this matter in detail. Because of the nature of the question, I will have to make sure that I do not have conflict of interest.

The question is very fact dependent. I suggest that you call my office so we can discuss this matter in detail. Because of the nature of the question, I will have to make sure that I do not have conflict of interest.

Yes, unless the Court waives the requirement. See U.C.A. Section 78B-6-136.

The answer to this question is highly dependent upon several facts. I am an adoption attorney. If your interested, you may contact me at my office and I would be happy to speak with you via a phone appointment. 801-546-3874.

The question is very fact dependent. I suggest that you call my office so we can discuss this matter in detail. Because of the nature of the question, I will have to make sure that I do not have conflict of interest.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.