The step parent and relative adoption process are essentially the same as the “traditional” adoption with two (2) major differences:

1. In a step parent adoption, the biological parent who is losing their parental rights, if that parent agrees and signs a written consent to the termination of their parental rights, the termination of parental rights hearing and the adoption hearing take place all at the same time, with only one court petition and only one court hearing.

2. In a step parent and relative adoption, the Judge has the authority, and often does, waive the need for a preplacement and post placement home study. The relatives must be fairly closely related to the child being adopted, generally siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. The technical term is “4th degree of consanguinity”, but that really means family.