MARYLAND STEPPARENT ADOPTION Professional & Guaranteed
Important information about filing an adoption in Maryland.
ADOPTING YOUR STEP CHILD IN MARYLAND: We are committed to helping unite families through stepparent adoption. We understand that some relationships leave a child with an absent parent. Our program allows families to complete their Maryland step parent adoptions without the high cost of an adoption attorney.
Completing a stepparent adoption in Maryland doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Our goal is to empower families with an affordable means to adopt their stepson or stepdaughter. We back our service with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.
Helping the entire State of Maryland in stepparent adoption.
We help families throughout the entire State. Our documents have consistently been praised by the Courts in Maryland and recommended by court clerks.
We help families in every city of Maryland, including: Baltimore, Frederick, Rockville, Gaithersville, Bowie, Hagerstown, Annapolis, College Park, Salisbury, Laurel, Greenbelt, and every other city in Maryland.
Important information about filing an adoption in Maryland.
A stepparent adoption in Maryland can be a fairly simple process, and it can be a wonderful step to take to unit the family unit. When the adoption is completed, the child will have the following benefits:
- > New name is established (if desired)
- > New birth certificate
- > Two legal parents active in the child’s life
- > Ability to inherit from adoptive parent
The child will have a relationship with the adoptive parent that is the same as if the child were born to the stepparent. The child’s new birth certificate will show the child’s new name and will have the adoptive parent and the natural parent listed as the child’s mother and father.
If your matter is complex, a local adoption attorney can answer any legal questions you may have. Review the following fact check which provides a general guideline as to whether you can do your own adoption:
Who can adopt.
- > Stepmother, or
- > Stepfather
A stepparent in Maryland can file to adopt his or her step child. The stepparent must be legally married to the child’s parent.
In some states, a domestic partnership and same-sex marriages may also adopt under the step parent adoption laws.
Parental Rights
Both the biological father and the biological mother have parental rights to the child. In every adoption, the absent or consenting parents parental rights will have to be terminated.
Some of the common grounds for termination of parental rights are:
- > Abandonment of the child
- > Lack of financial support
- > Sustained lack of contact
- > Abuse or neglect of minor children
- > Putative or presumptive father is not the bio-father
Child’s consent
In Maryland, if the child is 10 years of age, the child will be required to sign a consent to the adoption.
Where to file
You will file your step parent adoption documents in the court located in the county where you reside. If you are in the military, you have the option to file in your home-state of record.
We have listed the address for some of the Maryland Courts below.
Maryland Adoption
After you have determined that you want to complete a stepparent adoption, and have familiarized yourself with the adoption process, we can help you make the adoption a reality.
The adoption is fairly simple:
- > Complete our online questionnaire
- > Review and sign the adoption forms
- > Notice the absent parent
- > Sign all consents
- > Complete background check (if required)
- > Complete home-study (if required)
- > Attend final adoption hearing
We will let you know if a background check or home study is required. We will also let you know if your specific situation can eliminate any steps or whether a step or two will need to be added.
MARYLAND COURT LOCATIONS:
Here is the information for all of the courts in Maryland that handle adoptions. If your region is not listed, we will include the nearest court information with your documents.
Frederick County Courthouse: 100 West Patrick St., Frederick, MD 21701 Phone: 301-600-2005
Baltimore County Courts Building: 401 Bosley Avenue, Mailstop 3102, Towson, Maryland 21204 Phone: 410-887-2687 Fax: 410-887-4806 E-mail: circuitcourt@baltimorecountymd.gov
City of Baltimore County: Courthouse East: 111 North Calvert St., Room 462, Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-333-3722 or Phone: 410-333-3711
Howard County Courthouse:8360 Court Ave., Ellicott City, MD 21043 Phone: 410-313-2111
Montgomery County Judicial Center:50 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: 240-777-9402
Harford County Courthouse: 20 West Courtland St., Bel Air, MD 21014 Phone: 410-638-3426
Cecil County Courthouse: 129 East Main St., Elkton, MD 21921 Phone: 410-996-5315
Washington County Courthouse:95 West Washington St., Hagerstown, MD 21740 – 4831 Phone 301-733-8660
Allegany County Circuit Court: Allegany County Courthouse:30 Washington St., Cumberland, MD 21502 Phone: 301-777-5929 Fax: 301-777-2100
Garrett County Courthouse: P.O. Box 447, 203 South 4th St., Oakland, MD 21550 – 0447 Phone: 301-334-1934 Fax: 301-334-5017
Court filing fees.
The court filing fees for an adoption in Maryland are approximately $200.
Step Parent Adoption in Maryland We help families throughout Maryland complete their stepparent adoptions without the high cost of an adoption attorney. We serve families in Baltimore, Frederick, Rockville, Gaithersville, Bowie, Hagerstown, Annapolis, College Park, Salisbury, Laurel, Greenbelt, and all the other cities in Maryland.