My daughter is almost 6 years old and has had no contact with her bio father since she was 12 days old. I've been with my husband now since my daughter was 7 months old and he wants to adopt her. The bio father is willing to give up rights for my husband to adopt. So would it still be too complicated to file for this without a lawyer? I can't afford to pay for one and I don't know if it would be possible to get some kind of legal aid for this kind of situation (I know in my county legal aid doesn't handle custody issues so I'm not sure about adoption). My other question is does anyone know what if any are the other costs of step parent adoption (besides the lawyer fees)? I heard something about a home inspection that I would have to pay for. Any help at all would be welcome!!

If you go to the department of human services and tell them your ex doesn't pay child support then they will sue him for child support when you go to court they will tell him how much he has to pay then if he will tell them he wants to give your husband his parental rights then if you agree they will excuse his child support and they will take care of the paper work at very little cost to you

He actually has been paying court ordered support on and off. Could I still go to the department of human resources for this? Would that be in the courthouse?

Since the ex is no longer obligated to pay child support once the child is adopted it is possible the ex would help pay some of the legal expenses.

This is something that will require an attorney, the forms to sign over rights and the proper motions for the adoption, have to be done exactly right.

You need legal representation; no way to get around that, past that, or through that.

About the home inspection - since this is your husband wanting to adopt your daughter, I cannot see a home inspection. My ex and I went through one when we adopted - but the child was not the biological child of either of us - his parents had their rights terminated by the courts.

Something of this grave consequence, the adoption of a child, do not skip any steps or try shortcuts. Best of luck to you.

Try your local family law facilitators office/ self help referral agency.. Here in our county they just began offering help with step parent adoptions.

At least in the areas where I am at, there are some legal aid societies that can help. Also if the step father is willing to sign over the rights, you may get by with a good para legal that will just do the paper work and you file it with the courts.