Hey. I am 36 and I was wondering if I could adopt my 13 year old half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers. Her mother and our father are divorced. Our dad has had full custody of her since she was 7, because her mother is not able to take care of her. She is a really good kid but our father is verbally abusive. I remember being a child and this happening to me and my other sister too. He yells constantly. And it gets really bad. My little sister calls me crying all the time asking if she can come spend the night with me because he scares her. I want to get her out of that house before it turns abusive. We live in Tennessee, and all I really want to know is if I can legally adopt her, and how do I go about doing that if I can? Thank you.

You need permission before the court from both parents. Is there a chance her father will agree?

@joypulv : I don't think our dad would agree. He doesn't think he is doing anything wrong.

Then it can't be done.
And verbal abuse isn't enough for SS to take away custody.
Perhaps you and he can work out an agreement for part time, when she isn't in school (or do you live in the same district). Sometimes the willingness to split costs is an incentive, clothes, food, medical care. You could base it on positive things, such as you are lonely, no children of your own (whatever fits and sounds like it isn't a threat to his parenting).

@joypulv : Thank you for your advise. It's appreciated.