[ripcurlangel81]

K I need to know if I, the stepmother, can I adopt my husbands daughter. She is 8 yrs old, her mother has had custody taken away from the child at the age of 10 weeks old, and she was given to her father. Father battled children and family because of an ex girl friend that had abused his daughter while he was at work... on his birthday no less she was taken. He got his child back when she was 2 1/2 years for good. Mother seen her at age 3 1/2 then when she was 5 yrs old she had contact over the phone, 3 phone calls in 2 weeks, was promised birthday visit and presents, she got nothing. Now she is 8, and has not received any help, or talked to her mother since. Tried to pursue childsupport but can't get it because she is SSI/SSD. Can't get any help from her mother she has been is in and out of rehab and jail numorious times. In fact the bio mother... {personal info removed}
Please if you can't say anything nice don't write me. Thanks to all

T & C

[martinizing2]

I would advise you to get an attorney.
Now.
This is too important to handle any other way.

Thank God there are people like you willing to take
The responsibility of raising a child .

[ScottGem]

OK, I would say the odds of your being allowed to adopt are pretty good. Even if the bio mother objects, given her history, I think the courts will issue a TPR to allow you to adopt. You do NEED to get an attorney to prepare the paperwork to make sure its done right. I agree you are to be commended for taken this step with your stepdaughter.

please if u can't say anything nice don't write me. thanks to all
T & C

But I have to comment on this. When you post a question here, you open yourself up to any comments, positive or negative that are appropriate to the question as long as they don't violate our rules. If they do you report them. But you do NOT dictate who can answer and how they answer.

And I also have to comment on what I removed. I have to question that you posted the mother's full name and location even suggesting googling her to see her record. That seems like a very mean spirited and vengeful thing to do. There was no call to do so. Nor do we allow posting your personal e-mail (not a smart thing to do on any case). Questions are answered on the forums.

[Fr_Chuck]

I will agree with Scott, such actions as posting the bio mothers name if this was used against you in court, could make a judge see you less as a loving step mother and as a person just out to use the child to get back at someone.

So your post seems more filled with hate toward mother, than love toward child.

[cdad]

Also something that hasn't been said. If the mother is on SSI/SSD then the custodial parent should be receiving something from it. Not that it comes directly from the mother (NCP) but it's a side benefit fron SSD. It's a dependent payment. If it hasn't been looked into it should be.