My Niece has decided she no longer wants to be a mom to get two year old.this has been an on going issue since before his birth.the father just got sentenced 7 years in prison for assaulting my Niece. She is willing to sign over rights.what should my next step be.

She may want to sign over her rights, but the father, although in jail, has rights as well. So that is another step you have to think about before getting a lawyer.

The best first step is to hire an attorney to prepare the paperwork to adopt the child.

The important thing now is to get the child in proper care. The mother can sign a Temporary Guardianship form to allow you to care for the child immediately. You can check with your local Family Court to see what format is needed. You then need to go to court to get either custody or for an adoption. In either case, the father will need to be involved.