Before your spouse can adopt your child in Pennsylvania, you first have to terminate the other parent's parental rights. This step effectively makes the biological parent a legal stranger to your child, and your spouse steps in and takes their place.
Stepparent adoptions are exciting and a wonderful way of bringing your family together. Before you start the process, there are many first steps to take to make sure everything is done correctly. These are questions you can expect to be asked by your attorney when you first talk about adoption.
Not every case makes sense to go to trial. There are a few points to consider when deciding whether to settle your case outside of court to go in front of a judge or hearing officer.