The Burdette Law
Firm
Lawyers:
Germantown - Memphis, TN.
(901) 756-7878 in Germantown
(901) 756-6433 in Memphis
Answers to general legal questions posed by the general public
by Memphis Attorney Christina Burdette
Q: "Should my wife (bio-mom to my step-son) be ...
...a co-petitioner for my step-parent adoption? I am adopting my wife's son and I wanted to know the pros and cons of adding her as a co- or second petitioner."
A: In Shelby County, Tennessee,...
...I always add the biological mom or dad as a co-petitioner to a step-parent adoption. In the document I reaffirm the child/parent relationship between the two. I also attempt to get the other parent to join-in the petition, voluntarily allowing the step-parent adoption to move forward. Without that, the adoption becomes a two-step process. The parental rights of the (typically) father have to be terminated before the adoption can be finalized. When the other other parent joins-in the petition, the adoption can be finalized in one step.
