Originally Posted by RichardBondMan
Let me give you a personal example of my own.... the experience of adopting my wife's first and only child in the State of Alabama... the wife's daughter (now my daugh by adoption) was two yrs old when my wife and I married... natural father had seen the child only a couple of times, paid little or no child support as mandated by the divorce decree... by the daughter's age 6 or 7, the biological father was approx $20,000. in arrears in child support and other support he was to have paid. Never did we deny right to see child.... he never asked.... could have found out where we lived.... never attempted to keep child from father..... hired attorney who was next door neighbor.... who sent father a letter requesting he sign parental consent to my adopting his daugh AND sign agreement that wife would not persue him for the $20,000.00.. He signed consent, wife gave up the $20,000.00. Atty took consent form, agreement to court, Judge gave me his daughter. Laws vary state to state, I do not know what the law is in Alaska.. am not an attorney but it's my understanding that your child's biological father must sign consent no matter how much he has not paid. I assume you situation is similar to mine in that there is someone who wishes to adopt you daughter ? If so, I believe the Alaska court would give more weight to petition for adoption if you were somehow married to him, I would think preferably legally married (and for some period of time) or at least common law. This is where you need the services of an atty. But hope my insights helped you.