My question is we found a women in Indiana who is willing to sign over her parental rights over to my husnand and I, and I was curious to what the process in order for that to happen. I know we have to legalize with court. Anything else have to be done?we are in the state of Indiana? Thanks for any help

Where is the baby's father?

A mother doesn't sign over her rights, you "adopt" the child. Signing over the rights is just a part of the adoption.

So what you NEED to do is retain an attorney to handle the adoption process for you. You want to have an attorney prepare the paperwork to make sure everything is legal and aboveboard. And so the parents don't come back to haunt you. The father will have to agree to the adoption as well.

And if you try to get around the birthfather, he CAN overturn any adoption you go to court to get because if you leave him out of it, the adoption can be completely null and void.

This leaves you out all of the money you spent on court costs and adoption costs, and leaves you without the child--who will probably end up with the birthfather having SOLE custody, as the birthmother would have already signed away her rights.

ON TOP OF THAT--you don't say how you found this woman, or why she's willing to relinquish. Is the child born yet? If not, no one can do anything until the child IS born. If the child is already born--how old is the child? Have ALL of you been through adoption counseling?

I think we need more information.