My question involves adoption law for the State of: North Carolina I have an eight year old son whose father apparently resides in new york while my son and I have resided in nc for the past 5 years. We moved here to nc after his father was arrested and convicted of felony accounts including stabbing a police k-9 several times as well as the police officer himself, resisting arrest, violation of probation all in one night. We have not seen or heard from him these past five years. I never bothered to go to court to get full custody of my son because I was afraid he would then find out where we were and literally kill us; i just 'laid low' or 'hid'. Well now I found out that he is no longer in prison and I am getting married soon. My soon to be husband would like to adopt my son after we are married but I dont even know where to begin. Given the circumstances stated above, do I need to have not only court ordered custody of my son and have his fathers parental rights stripped in order for my husband to adopt him?

