I am an adult living in Maine, and I would like my stepfather, who resides in Massachusetts, to legally adopt me. My mother approves of this adoption, and I have no knowledge of my birth father. I want to make this adoption legal because my stepfather has been a significant parental figure in my... View More

I am an adult residing in California, and I discovered through an ancestry test that the man listed as my father on my birth certificate is not my biological father. My biological father and my mother have both provided notarized declarations acknowledging this, and I have filed a declaration of... View More

Tobie B. Waxman Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 10, 2026

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Amending-a-California-Birth-Record.aspx

My husband and I have had custody of our child for 18 months in Ohio. The child's biological mother and father are not involved. We filed for adoption, and I've managed all the paperwork myself. The first court hearing was delayed because the paperwork sent to the father, who is in... View More

I am 18 years old and live in Texas. My adoptive mother, who lives in Kentucky, has my Social Security card. I haven't lived with her for 3 years. Despite asking her multiple times for my card, she refuses to return it to me. Can I involve law enforcement in Texas to retrieve my SSN card? What... View More

I have a child placed in my home through DSS in Maryland, released to me from the hospital. The DSS caseworker suggests pursuing guardianship and custody as a quicker route to close the case, which would leave the legal rights with the biological parents. However, the child's attorney, who has... View More

I was born in Mexico, and my biological mother was a U.S. citizen, born in the United States. I was adopted by another U.S. citizen, also born in the U.S. I have relevant records like my birth certificate and adoption documentation. Recently, my driver’s license was flagged because my Texas birth... View More

My husband, who lives in Idaho, wishes to adopt his adult granddaughter, who resides in California. Both she and her husband agree to the adoption. We know the documents required by Orange County but cannot access the actual forms to print or fill out. Can a lawyer in Idaho assist us in preparing... View More

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James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 2, 2026

An adult adoption like this is filed in the California superior court for the county where the proposed adoptee lives, which in your case is Orange County, and the matter is governed by California Family Code sections covering adult adoptions.

An Idaho attorney is not licensed to practice... View More

I am looking to adopt an adult in Oregon to formalize our familial relationship. We have the consent of the adult being adopted. This is my first attempt at gathering information, and I aim to have the necessary paperwork by June 12th. Could you please advise on what specific legal documents and... View More

I am dealing with a situation in Georgia where my brother made a DFCS case report about my family, resulting in my children being removed from my care for a year and a half. The report was partially true, but my brother admitted he reported us to have our kids removed, unjustly labeling us as bad... View More

I am a grandparent in Missouri, and my ex-daughter-in-law adopted my grandchildren after they were removed from my daughter’s custody. Although they were briefly in DFS custody, they were returned to her. Since then, she has been preventing me from seeing my grandchildren, seemingly out of spite... View More

I recently placed a child for adoption through a private agency in Kansas, and I'm now receiving $4,000 from the agency for "living expenses," with the adoption finalized three weeks ago. I've signed over my parental rights already. The money is in an account controlled by the... View More

I am 21 years old and considering adopting my 9-year-old sibling. Our parents are divorced with split custody, and neither would voluntarily consent to the adoption. I live independently and occasionally provide groceries for my sibling's residence. When our parents were married, there were... View More

I would like to adopt a 25-year-old individual in Virginia. I have been their godparent and have raised them since they were 5 years old. I've not yet started any legal proceedings. What steps do I need to take to proceed with this adoption, and are there any particular legal considerations or... View More

I was charged with Simple Battery in Fulton County, Georgia, on 5/12/2002. After the charge, I moved back to Alabama due to separating from the person involved and gave the court an address where I could be reached. I checked in several times for a court date, but it had not been set before I moved... View More

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Brett Willis
answered on Jun 2, 2026

You need to contact a lawyer who practices in Fulton County. They may be able to enter what is called a PIA (plea in absentia) to some reduced charge with no probation and possibly no record. This will take a good bit of work so you need someone who specializes in Fulton State Court.

I recently discovered that my 2-year-old niece is in foster care in Alabama and it appears there is bias towards allowing her foster parents to adopt her. This is happening despite my family's clear desire to have her reunified with her biological family. We have completed all necessary... View More

I recently discovered that I have a 2-year-old niece in foster care in Alabama. It seems there is a bias towards allowing her foster parents to adopt her, despite my family's clear desire to have her with us, her biological relatives. I've made it clear that she should not be put up for... View More

I'm seeking advice on the possibility of a reverse adoption at age 62 in Wisconsin. My father is currently in a rehab nursing home, and there are concerns about a person who wants him as a father figure, but she's financially exploiting him. She has taken his money, doesn't want him... View More

I live in Georgia and am considering taking care of my nephew whose mother resides in South Carolina and is expecting her sixth child. She wants me to care for her son for the full school year, but I believe she may only intend for this arrangement to last until her new baby arrives in late August... View More

I have a bench warrant issued against me from 10 years ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for failing to appear on a motion to accelerate sentencing. The warrant is set at $10,297.48 cash only. I haven't contacted law enforcement or the court since the warrant was issued because I feared arrest might... View More

Tracy Tiernan
answered on May 21, 2026

The bad news is that in most instances, the passage of time does not remove a bench warrant.

The best advice would be to contact a seasoned criminal defense attorney, consult them regarding your options (perhaps they could even reach out to the judge and the government to see if something... View More

I live in California, and I'm interested in adopting my stepchild who was born in Memphis, TN. The child's biological father does not provide for her and there are no established legal custody arrangements. I would like to know how I can proceed with terminating the biological... View More

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James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 19, 2026

Because the child was born in Tennessee and the biological father appears to live outside California, this is really a two-state issue. A California stepparent adoption is handled in the county where you live under Family Code sections 8548 and following, but the biological father's parental... View More