1 / 22

Basic Introduction to Step-Parent Adoptions

Basic Introduction to Step-Parent Adoptions. 2010 California Conference on Self-Represented Litigants. Speakers : Lucia Reyes, Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center Malea Chavez, ACCESS Center, Superior Court of California, San Francisco

Jeffrey
Download Presentation

Basic Introduction to Step-Parent Adoptions

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Basic Introduction to Step-Parent Adoptions 2010 California Conference on Self-Represented Litigants Speakers: Lucia Reyes, Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center Malea Chavez, ACCESS Center, Superior Court of California, San Francisco Betsy Lee, ACCESS Center, Superior Court of California, San Francisco

  2. Types of Adoptions • Independent • Stepparent/Domestic Partner • Limited Consent/Second Parent Adoptions

  3. Overview of the Adoption Process • Step 1: Adoption Request • Step 2: Home Study Investigation/Report • Step 3: Termination of Parental Rights • Step 4: Finalization Stage

  4. Adoption Request • Relative vs. Non-Relative • Role of the Adoption Services Provider (ASP) • Court • Filing Fee

  5. Home Study Investigation/Report • Documents Needed to Start the Case • Certified copies of the birth certificates, marriage certificates/RDP, divorce decrees, death certificates, and Letters of Guardianship • DCFS Adoption Questionnaire(s) • Conformed copy of Adoption Request • Role of the Social Worker/Investigation • Fee for Home Study Report

  6. Termination of Parental Rights • Consent vs. Court Order • Alleged Father vs. Presumed Father

  7. Termination of Parental Rights (continued) • Family Code Sections most commonly used for Termination of Parental Rights • 7662 (alleged father) • 8604 (presumed parent) • 7820 (presumed parent)

  8. Termination of Parental Rights (continued) • Identify/Locate Parent(s) • Due Diligence Search • Parentage Letters • Military Search • Service (Personal, Posting or Publication)

  9. Finalization Stage • When are you ready to proceed to finalization? • How do you schedule a hearing date? • What to expect at the finalization hearing?

  10. Step-Parent Adoptions • What type of case to start? • Has paternity been established? • Judicial determination • Voluntary declaration • Legal presumption • Parentage: Willful Failure • No Parentage: Termination

  11. Step-Parent Adoptions • Initial Intake: • Important to get all information up front! • Intake forms, Declaration of Mother • Accuracy of information • Obtain copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, court orders, etc. • Minor’s knowledge and consent • Minors over 12 must consent • Minor must attend hearing regardless of age

  12. Step-Parent Adoptions • Citizenship: • Probation department forms will ask about immigration status • “no known status” • Service issues: • If need to serve by posting/mailing, schedule hearings further out to complete service

  13. Willful Failure • FC § 8604(b): absent parent has for a period of one year or more: • Failed to communicate with the child AND • Failed to financially support the child • Paternity established • Adoption Request: mark # 17 • Service by posting/mailing, schedule Citation Hearing 8 weeks out • Citation Hearing

  14. Abandonment • FC § 7820 et seq: freeing a child from parental custody and control. • Proceed with Abandonment case if can only prove one element of Willful Failure. • Complex procedure • Extra interview with probation department • Court can appoint counsel to any party if necessary

  15. Termination • Parentage has not been established • Alleged father • FC § 7662 • Notice to Alleged Father • Father can initiate paternity case within 30 days of service • Father can consent (waive further notice) • Deny paternity (waive further notice)

  16. Termination • Adoption Request: mark #16 • Termination of Paternal Rights • Wait 30 days after service before filing Termination of Paternal Rights • If posting/mailing, need to wait 60 days • No hearing – File Petition and Order will be sent by mail

  17. Service Issues • Personal Service • Service by posting and mailing • Must have fee waiver • Declaration of Due Diligence • Order may take up to two weeks • Service not complete until 28 days after posting and mailing • Service by publication

  18. Social Study/Home Visit • Conducted by Juvenile Probation Department in San Francisco • Important for Court to coordinate with probation dept • Make sure case is forwarded to dept • Investigation Fee: up to $200 in SF • Complete all necessary forms

  19. Adoption Hearing • Investigation Report must be completed before court can schedule Hearing • Step-parent, custodial parent and minor must attend

  20. Tips • If proceeding by publication for multiple children with the same parents, consolidate the cases • All TPR proceedings heard at the Children’s Court in Monterey Park • Foreign born children must satisfy the Hague Adoption Requirements • Honesty with Social Worker re criminal record (Adam Walsh Act) • Consistency in names throughout documents • Terminate all possible alleged & presumed parents • Probation Officer Investigation with Independent Adoptions • Tax Credit/Exclusion with Independent Adoptions • Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up • New Birth Certificate

  21. Contact Information • Department of Children and Family Services Independent & Stepparent Adoptions Unit 3530 Wilshire Blvd., 4th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90010 Tao Dam, Independent Adopt. Asst. (213)351-0162 Raul Ortega, Stepparent Adopt. Asst. (213)351-0163 • Juvenile Probation Department City and County of San Francisco, Special Services 375 Woodside Avenue San Francisco, CA 94127 (415)753-7582 • ACCESS Center Superior Court of California, San Francisco 575 Polk Street, Room 001 San Francisco, CA 94102 • Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center 1557 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 (213)482-1800 ext. 300

  22. Helpful Websites • www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/PG164.htm (CDSS Forms) • www.childsworld.ca.gov/res/pdf/ASPContact.pdf (ASP List) • adoption.state.gov (Hague Adoption Info) • http://travel.state.gov/law/info/judicial/judicial_680.html?css=print (Service of Legal Documents Abroad)

More Related