ADOPTION

Adoption is a legal process by which a legal adult, other than one of the biological parents of a minor child, become legally responsible for that minor child. There are essentially two types of adoption. There are step-parent adoptions and third-party adoptions. Both types of adoptions can be either "contested" or "uncontested." Contested adoptions occur when the biological parent, or other relative(s), object through legal process to the adoption being granted by the court. An uncontested adoption occurs when there is no opposition to the adoption, either by the biological parent or from anyone else.

Step-parent adoptions happen when the parent, who has custody of the child, remarries. Sometimes the biological parent is deceased and the motivation of the adoption is to insure that the child has two parents to love and care for the child. More often, the motivation is to have the custodial parent’s new spouse, who is most likely living in the residence with the child, become legally responsible for the child with whom the new spouse lives on a day-to-day basis. The biological parent often cooperates with this process because, once the cohabitant of the custodial parent adopts the child, the "new dad" or "new mom" is responsible for the child in all ways, including financially. The biological parent no longer is required to pay ongoing child support.