Adoption

questions & answers

Question: My partner and I are having a baby. I am the biological mother. How can she adopt as a second parent once the child is born? There will be no other legal parent at the time of the child's birth besides myself.

Answer:

Due to the interests involved in an adoption, you may want to consult with an attorney to find out your rights and the specific laws in this situation. Depending on the specific situation, different statutes and cases may apply. There are a number of procedures and qualifications that occur prior to a finalized adoption. You may want to review the Arizona adoption laws (beginning with A.R.S. § 8-101). You may also want to review the language in A.R.S. § 8-117(c) which says, "If the adoption is by the spouse of the child's parent, the relationship of the child to that parent remains unchanged by the decree of adoption." 

For additional information on adoption, you may want to review the materials provided in the Adoption and Child Welfare article on this site. Additionally, some of the courts provide information on adoption through the court or law library websites.