Stepfather Adopting Step Son

[China10128]

My question involves adoption law for the State of: Maryland





My husband and I have been married for two years, I have a son who is four now through a past relationship. And we share a daughter.
My son has my last name and the absent parent choose not to sign the birth certificate. I not only want to change my last but my son's also.
Should my husband sign his birth cert. or should we start the process for step child adoption. My husband is the only father my son knows. I
do not recieve child support although i have tried. The biological father has been in the marines, dishonorably discharged, sent to the brige and in and out of jail in maryland for a number of drug charges. What action should I make to ensure that if anything happens to me that my son would continue to be cared for by his
step father(or as he calls him Daddy)

[cyjeff]

By trying to collect child support, you have already identified the biological father legally.

I recommend strongly against committing fraud by knowingly putting false information about parentage on a birth certificate 4 years after birth.

Get an attorney and begin the legal step parent adoption process. The father will be served with papers and it should go from there.