[hcartwright]

Yesterday Friday July 20, 2007 my sister was forced to sign her rights over to my dad. She had been given chance after chance and was involved with cps and having to take all of these classes and random drug tests. She failed one too many and they took my 9 month old nephew away. He was supposed to go to my dad but when they did the background check there was a battery charge from 1997 in wst virginia and Indiana. He was never convicted of these charges but now my dad has to and give his fingerprints and that may take a week. I am 22 years old( will be 23 in september) and I want to adopt him. What can I do? They have placed him in a temporary foster care already. What steps do I need to take to get him back with his family? Thanks for all of your help in advance. I am so desperate I don't kow what to do. I do have a steady job at a hospital. I am also in nursing school. WIll any of this affect me getting custody.

[LadyB]

You need to contact your nephew's caseworker and let them know of your interest in guardianship/adoption. They will tell you the requirements.

[s_cianci]

You can file a motion with the court for custody. Has your father been formally awarded custody already or was that just a temporary arrangement? If he has, that'll make your case harder. If he hasn't, then anything could happen.