Molly R: How do I petition to terminate parental rights on the birth mother of my children?
I am a step-mother who has been raising three step-daughters for 3 and a half years now. I am married to their birth father, who has full custody. Their birth mother has had no contact for a full year now, and we do not know where she is or how to get a hold of her. How can we petition to terminate her parental rights so that I can adopt the girls? We are in the state of Illinois.
Answers and Views:
Answer by ibu guru
Get an attorney who specializes in family law to advise you, then file the petition for termination of parental rights and then the adoption for you. If you have to have a private investigator search for the birth mother, the attorney will have a good, reliable one to use.
Answer by bob k
You need to bone up on the law SERIOUSLY or hire an attorney. You might get help from DCFS but again they are most likly to tell you to hire an attorney.
If you live in a larger area a paralegal would be cheaper. The local bar association or even the yellow pages may be able to locate para legals. Find someone practiceing “family law”. That is an all emcompassing term which would include adoption.
I disagree with Ibu about “finding” the mother…they could only delay and cost you more. If she has “abandoned” the children to the father than all it takes is publication in the newspaper of the intent to end parental rights for the mother.
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