What Your Attorney Needs to Know
The adult adoption process tends to be simpler than other kinds of adoptions. But getting the details right is still important.
This page provides a review of some of the basic information that your attorney will need in order to begin drafting the necessary documents for the court filings.
Who is involved?
The people necessary to any adult adoption include:
- the adult being adopted;
- the adopting parent(s);
- and, if married, the spouse of the adult adoptee and the adopting parent.
Following is the basic information that will be needed to get started.
Adult Adoptee
Most of the information needed about the adult adoptee can be found on their original birth certificate. Provide a copy of that to the attorney and you’re halfway there. But here’s a list of the basics:
- current full name (first, middle, last);
- full name as listed on the birth certificate;
- the new last name (if a name change is planned);
- date of birth;
- marital status;
- county and state where born;
- current address.
Adopting Parent(s)
For each parent who is adopting the adult, the following information is needed:
- full name (first, middle, last);
- date of birth;
- marital status;
- current address.
Spouse of the Adult Adoptee (if married)
If the adult adoptee is married, the following information for their spouse is needed:
- full name (first, middle, last);
- current address.
Spouse of the Adopting Parent (if only one parent is adopting)
Often, the spouse of the adopting parent is the biological parent of the adult adoptee. If so, then the existing parent must consent to the adoption. The following info is needed for the spouse of the adopting parent:
- full name (first middle, last);
- date of birth;
- current address.
Talk to Your Attorney
Your attorney will need information about any parent whose parental rights will be terminated by the adoption. And your attorney will probably have some additional questions to make sure that all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed properly.
And, of course, always talk to your attorney if you have any questions.