I am 23 years old, I live in Texas, and I have a friend that is pregnant - due Sept 2008. She has one child already, but wants to sign over full parental rights to me for the one she is currently carrying. I have talked to a lawyer about adoption but he says he doubts I would qualify because I am "single" and I live in an apartment(? What this has to do with it I have no idea). Anyway, I have been looking at other options such as becoming the legal guardian or permanent managing conservator over the child and I am having a hard time finding out HOW we can make this legal without going through the adoption process. I know there is a way but I cannot find out what we need to sign and present to the court...
Can anyone help me?

How old is she?
Is she putting the baby's father on the birth cerificate?
Is he willing to give up the baby too?
What does he have to say about everything?
Not that these will help you any but it would help get a better pic of the situation.
Could she go in with you on a bigger apartment and then you could just help her with the baby until you maybe have a way of adopting someday if she is still willing to go through with it?

Any of your choices involve petititon Family Court for control of the child. To do so you will need both the mother's AND father's agreement.

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Originally Posted by N0help4u

How old is she?
Is she putting the baby's father on the birth cerificate?
Is he willing to give up the baby too?
What does he have to say about everything?
Not that these will help you any but it would help get a better pic of the situation.
Could she go in with you on a bigger apartment and then you could just help her with the baby until you maybe have a way of adopting someday if she is still willing to go through with it?

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She just turned 19.
No she isn't putting the father on the BC, but he is willing to give the baby up also.
I already share an apartment with my boyfriend and my brother... she is moving in with her father soon to get help with her first child and her family also supports her decision to give me this baby.

If anything we just need something stating that I have equal rights to the baby so that I can take her to doctor's appointments and things like that.

It actually may be easier if the father was listed on the birth certificate, if not for custody to be signed over, there will have to be official action to prove the father and then get him to sign.

But being single should not effect adoption, and if the apartment is two bedrooms adoption shoild not be a issue either.

You might want to talk to another lawyer, someone that specialize in family law, or go to family court and find out what you can do. The first lawyer misinform you because you don't have to married to adopt, you can be single and you must:
*have enough money to provide the basic needs for you and the child.
*You must be at least 21 years old.
*You don't have to own your home but if you live in an apartment you must have room for the child.
*You can be single.
*You must be in good health.

Wish you luck and hope you find someone good to help you and a start would be going to family court to learn the guidelines and they might can refer you to a lawyer that could help.

I have a notarized paper stating that I can have any medical issues taken care of and put my niece in school. It is simply filled out and notarized, not filed with the courts but it is a start. The schools and the doctors WILL accept this as I have been using it to make appointments and get her enrolled. I hope everything works out for you in the end. Just Google to find the papers. I printed mine off-line and took them to a notary.

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Originally Posted by Worried Auntie

I have a notarized paper stating that I can have any medical issues taken care of and put my niece in school. It is simply filled out and notarized, not filed with the courts but it is a start. The schools and the doctors WILL accept this as I have been using it to make appointments and get her enrolled. I hope everything works out for you in the end. Just google to find the papers. I printed mine off-line and took them to a notary.

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While your schools and doctors will accept this, its by no means universal. Most places would require a legal document and yours is not. A notarized document simply means that the ID of the signators has been verified.

Thanks for the reply Scott. I am aware that the papers I have are not binding legal agreements. But it was a start to get my niece out of her current situation. He didn't want to go through the courts and needed help so this is what we came up with for now. I would like to file for custody/adopt her but I am afraid to give him the papers as he may change his mind about letting her live with us all together and then we'll be back to square one again. If he continues to not call/visit/or show an interest in her then we will file with the courts for permanent custody. Do you know where I can find forms to start the process of adoption? I would like to have them ready to go before I visit the lawyer so I have an idea of what I need, etc. Thanks again for the help. :confused: