Stepparent Adoptions

Adoption

Assuming or revoking one’s parental rights and responsibilities over a child is a huge, life-altering step. As your Colorado family law attorney, Ray Chamberland will provide you with the hands-on, personalized attention and legal service that you need. He can guide you through every step of your Colorado stepparent adoption case.

Colorado Springs Stepparent Adoption Attorney Chamberland represents both stepparents that wish to adopt their stepchildren and biological parents that want to defend against the termination of their legal parental rights. His years of U.S. military and legal experience as a Staff Judge Advocate and a missile combat crew member makes him a zealous legal advocate to have on your side.

Adopting Your Stepchild

In Colorado, a stepparent can file a petition to adopt a stepson or stepdaughter if a biological parent has passed away, abandoned the child, or failed to pay child support for at least one year.

To adopt your stepchild, you will need the consent of your spouse and your stepchild (if he or she is over 12 years of age). It helps if the biological parent whose parental rights are being terminated will agree to the adoption, but it is not required so long as they have failed to pay child support or failed to be meaningfully involved in the child’s life for one year or more. If you are unable to obtain the consent of the parent whose rights you are terminating—due to circumstance or opposition—then you must prove that terminating the biological parent’s legal rights is in the child’s best interests. You must also prove that you are fit to be your stepchild’s legal parent.

Adopting your stepson or stepdaughter is an important step that grants you full parental rights and responsibilities for your stepchild, including all legal and financial obligations. Colorado Springs Stepchild Attorney Chamberland can work with you to make sure that your stepparent adoption goes through the necessary and correct channels to ensure a successful outcome.

Military Stepparent Adoptions

If you are a military service member that wishes to adopt your stepchild, it is important that you file your stepparent adoption papers in the child’s home state. If your stepson or daughter has been living in Colorado for at least six months, then Colorado is considered their home state.

Defending Against Stepparent Adoptions

If you have been wrongly accused of abandoning or not being fit to parent your biological child and a stepparent is trying to revoke your parental rights over your son or daughter, Colorado Family Law Attorney Ray Chamberland can protect your legal right to parent your child.

An Experienced Adoption Attorney Helps

Growing your family through the adoption process can be an exciting time for a family. A Colorado Springs Adoption lawyer can help you take the legal steps necessary for a successful adoption. Colorado Adoption Attorney Ray Chamberland represents civilian and military parents in stepparent adoptions.

Clients Served

Many of Ray Chamberland’s Colorado divorce clients are residents of Colorado Springs, Cimarron Hills, Security-Widefield, Monument, Black Forest, Falcon, Peyton, or other cities and towns in El Paso County, Colorado

To schedule your initial consultation with Colorado Springs Stepparent Adoption Attorney Ray Chamberland, call Chamberland Law at (719) 527-3999 or contact us online.