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Georgia Adoption Questions & Answers
2 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Adoption and Child Custody for Georgia on
Q: My boyfriend’s younger brother age of 13 has been living with us for about 20 months , what steps do we need to take for

Custody/adoption ? The mother does not provide for him financially due to a gambling addiction . We don’t know where to start to get legal custody

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Jan 16, 2018

You can file for guardianship and / or custody. Both the mother and the father of the child must be served.

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2 Answers | Asked in Family Law and Adoption for Georgia on
Q: birth dad hasn't had contact for 7 yrs she's 8

My husband had raise her since she was 1 and has legitimized her. Do we need to serve him even after all these years to have him removed from the birth certificate?

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Jan 16, 2018

Yes, he will have to be served and the court would have to terminate his rights.

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1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Child Custody and Child Support for Georgia on
Q: Biological dad not in the picture and my fiancé wants to legally be my daughter’s father. How can this happen?
Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Jan 13, 2018

Your fiance will have to file for adoption and the biological father would have to be served.

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Regina I. Edwards is the Owner of Edwards Family Law.

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1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Immigration Law for Georgia on
Q: We are US citizens, Can I adopt my granddaughter (age 10, on H4 Visa)?

We are in our late 50s with 1 earner. Will that cause issues with adoption process?

Hector E. Quiroga
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Hector E. Quiroga
answered on Jan 4, 2018

From an immigration law perspective, the income facts that you’ve presented should not be impacted either way by the adoption; you will need to show the financial ability no matter how many earners. There might be state adoption requirements you might want to explore.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Adoption and Child Custody for Georgia on
Q: My cousin have custody of my children she recently changed her last name she's telling people she adopted her. How

How can she do that without me signing we went to court & the judge told me to continue doing good & he will give me back custody. She went to another judge to change her last name not our judge

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Jan 1, 2018

You should have been notified for the name change. If not, you may want to consult with an attorney to determine your options with having the name change order overturned.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: My daughter is 12 my aunt adopted her 12yeArs ago and she wants to live with me what can I do
Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Dec 2, 2017

The child is your aunt's daughter if she legally adopted her. You have no rights to her.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: If rights was terminated by courts, and the kids was adopted what can I do to get the kids back
Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Nov 13, 2017

If rights were terminated and the adoption finalized, the children are the legal children of the adoptive parents, and the children cannot be returned.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: Can a none biological man sign a birth certificate if no father listed on it?

My son is fifteen and my husband wants to sign his birth certificate. His biological has had nothing to do with him in 7 years and said he never wanted him in the first place.

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Oct 11, 2017

No. That would be a fraud. Your husband can petition for adoption.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Adoption and Child Support for Georgia on
Q: What can I do as a step-parent?

The real mother does not pay any ordered child support nor does she have anything to do with the child. She has not seen child in 4 years nor spoke with the child. She can not be found and if she is found she changes her number or moves temporarily again. Seems like the DCSS isnt doing anything. Is... View More

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Oct 1, 2017

You may be able to do a step-parent adoption if the biological mother has not paid support or had any contact with the child in four years.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Child Support and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: My brother just found out he is the father and is being put on child support and the baby is named after someone else

How does my brother go about either getting custody and changing the babies name and does he have to pay child support if the babies named after the person who signed the birth certificate

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Aug 21, 2017

In order to seek a name change of the child and correction of the birth certificate, your brother would need to file a legitimation action. Until he legitimizes the child, he has no rights to custody or visitation with the child.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Family Law and Child Custody for Georgia on
Q: Dfacs placed my children with my parents & spouse parents now we decided we just want my parents to adopt them

CAN WE DO THAT AND BE DONE WITH DFCAS

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Jul 27, 2017

Yes, you can handle the adoption through the dependency case. You should discuss this with your dependency attorney or the SAAG that is representing the department in your case.

2 Answers | Asked in Adoption, Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for Georgia on
Q: CAN THE MOTHER PUT CS ON THE FATHER BUT HAS WARRANTS OUT FOR CS ON HERSELF DUE TO NON PAYMENT FOR 4 OTHER CHILDREN?

THE MOTHER HAS 4 OTHER CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE BIO FATHER DUE TO HER BEING UNFIT AND SHE RECENTLY HAD A ANOTHER BABY BUT WANTS TO FILE CHILD SUPPORT BUT THE FATHER OF THIS CHILD SUPPORTS THE CHILD... IT IS KNOWN THE MOTHER IS UNFIT AND HAS OUTSTANDING WARRANTS FOR NON PAYMENT FOR... View More

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Jul 26, 2017

As long as the child is living with the mother, she can ask for child support. If the father wants custody, then he should file immediately, but at the same time pay the mother for any months the child is not in his care.

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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Adoption for Georgia on
Q: Is it possible to change my maiden name to that of my stepfathers even though he never adopted me and I'm now 42 .

He married my mom, when I was 18 months old and he wanted to adopt me but my parents just couldn't ever afford it . I'm now grown and married and my dad has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. No I don't want to do it because of that , and it's never mattered that... View More

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Jul 5, 2017

You are free to change your name at any age, as long as you are not doing it to defraud creditors or anyone else. You can file with the Superior Court where you live.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: How do I file for a stepfather adoption. Their biological father left them as babies and has never gotten legitimized.

Their stepfather and I have been married for 3 years in Ga.

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Jun 14, 2017

You will need to petition the court for a step parent adoption and provide the biological father with notice of the petition. He will have an opportunity to respond or contest the adoption if he so chooses. If he contests the adoption, he will need to demonstrate that he has not abandoned his... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: I have been in a divorce for 6 years. MY ex refuses to finalize because he wants to get Child support as low as possible

He immediately got put on supervised visits with my son when he was 2 because of admitted drug use tho he didn't keep visits. my son is now 7. The have little to no relationship. My ex hasn't ever paid CS on time if at all. out of the 6 years he has paid when he felt like it and how much... View More

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on May 29, 2017

It is very unusual for a divorce to take as long as 6 years. You may need to check to see if your case is still open. If it is, you will have to request a final hearing. If not, then you will have to start over. No one will be able to give you specific advice until they have reviewed your... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Adoption and Child Custody for Georgia on
Q: I signed rights to my son away when he was an infant. I want them back. Is there anything i can Do? He is 11

The person I signed the rights over to is dead now. I want to be in my son's life but his grandparent lies to him and refuses to allow me in his life. I admit that I've made mistakes but im am a changed person and deserve to know him and him know me as well as his siblings

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Jun 1, 2017

Unfortunately, if you terminated your rights to the child, there is no way to undo that.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Child Custody for Georgia on
Q: If my child has already been legitimaize by her father. Am I still considered the sole parent?

My child is currently 3 years old. And her father was granted visitation through the court. The judge asked if he wanted joint custody, and he stated he only wanted visitation. So what are his rights since he was only granted visitation and not joint custody. I'm getting married soon, so can... View More

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Apr 29, 2017

If legitimation was granted, then her father is her legal father. Your paperwork would state whether or not you have sole custody or joint, In any event, your husband cannot adopt her unless her father gives up his parental rights.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption for Georgia on
Q: I have 100 percent full custudy of my 16 year old daughter me andher step mom wants her to adopt her how do we do so.

My dsughter will be 17,within a week from to today her birth mother hasnt seen or contacted us in over 10 years iv remarried when she was 7 shes always referred to my wife as her mother we dont treat it any different except it being legal on paper what are the steps to do so here in ga

Brian Lehman
Brian Lehman
answered on Mar 4, 2017

Here are some sources that may help you:

https://apps.hr.emory.edu/register/download?event=306&file=Adoption+in+Georgia+Presentation+Workshop.pdf

https://stearns-law.com/resources/blog/adoption/how-does-stepparent-adoption-work-in-georgia

Short answer: "After...
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1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Child Custody and Child Support for Georgia on
Q: If my ex partner hasn't made contact with our son in over 4 years, can he seek custody and/or visitation?

I had my son with my ex partner. We were never married, he was abusive, and has not made contact with our son for over 3 years now. (My son is 4 now. The biological father only saw him 5 times after he was first born). He has been in and out of jail for parole violations and drug court orders.... View More

Regina Irene Edwards
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answered on Feb 8, 2017

The short answer is that yes, he can seek custody and visitation. However, you can contest it. In fact, if you are getting married, you can get married, then have your husband file for adoption. Once you do that, the father has to be served and you will argue to the court that the father's... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Family Law and Adoption for Georgia on
Q: How does my bf go about adopting my daughter? Can rights be taken from her dad if he doesn't even have rights?

My daughter is 3 years old and her father has never put forth any effort to be in her life. Long story short the guy Ive dated has been in her life since she was born. She views him as her dad. He has been the only dad she has known. Her dad pays child support but hasnt been legitimized. He doesnt... View More

Terrence H Thorgaard
Terrence H Thorgaard
answered on Nov 2, 2015

Your premise is incorrect: the biological father DOES have rights, albeit not exercised, unless his rights have been judicially terminated (by a "termination of parental rights"). Adoption can be complicated. See an attorney.

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