My Daughter Wants Step-Father to Adopt Her
My question involves adoption law for the State of: Mississippi
My daughter who is almost 14 years old asked her stepfather of 10 years to adopt her and change her last name to his.
Her bio-dad and I share custody with me having primary and he has visitation rights but her bio-dad has been in an out of trouble for the last 12 years. He got out of prison early about a year ago for a long list of felonies, one being manufacturing drugs. He was an addict and a dealer of meth. Well he has had little to no contact with her for over 4 or 5 years. Honestly even before that he was not very involved. She is old enough to see it for herself now. She does not go with him on the weekends or anytime. He doesn't fight it. He is drinking heavily and popping pills now that I know of and we suspect using meth again. His mother pays his child support for him but it is the same amount it was when she was one. I have not taken him to court for anything. My husband would love to adopt but we do not know what the easiest way would be and what steps to take.
Also, if she asks her bio-dad to allow this and he refuses, do we have any chance of getting this done. He is unstable. He doesn't call and never comes by unless it is her birthday or Christmas. He showed up at our home unexpectedly about 2 months ago and texted my cell saying,"Send "her name" outside. By herself" Of course I freaked out. What was he going to do. She was not home and he finally left but sat at the end of our street for 20 mins or so. It was disturbing. I am worried. Please help us with our rights. Thank you.
Re: My Daughter Wants Step-Father to Adopt Her
Start by asking her biological father if he will consent to adoption. If he says "yes", the process is pretty easy. If he says "no", we can discuss your other options.
You can look up the statutes yourself here, and maybe somebody else will be willing to look them up for you; I'm just not personally willing to do it until you take the small first step of asking for consent.
Re: My Daughter Wants Step-Father to Adopt Her
He said no. He said maybe in a year if she feels that way. He just puts her off and since the holidays are passed, he want have much to do with her until her birhtday in June now.
Is there anything we can do or she can do? Nothing changes for her step dad, in his eyes she is his regardless but we don't want her to think we did not try.