A:        In Michigan, there are private direct placement adoptions, agency direct placement adoptions, step-parent adoptions, relative adoptions, guardian adoptions, and adoptions through the foster care system.

A:         The mother or father wishing to file for a step-parent adoption must now have  legal custody of the minor child prior to the adoption.  Also, he or she must be married to the step-parent for approximately a year before they can file the petition.

A:     The non-custodial parent must have failed to regularly communicate with the minor child for at least two years prior to filing and have failed to substantially and regularly pay child support for at least two years if there is a child support order in place.  If there is no child support order in place, then the non-custodial parent, having the ability to support the child, must have failed to substantially and regularly support the child.

A:    If the non-custodial parent agrees to the adoption and termination of his or her rights, then a brief hearing would be held in which he or she would provide testimony acknowledging his or her consent to the adoption.

A:  If the child is 14 years or older, he or she must provide his or her consent to the adoption at a consent hearing, regardless of the type of adoption.

A:  When the adoption is finalized a new birth certificate will be issued with the new parent’s name listed on it.  The child’s name can legal be changed for free with the Adoption Order and would be also be included on the new birth certificate.

A:         The relative adopting the child must be related within the 5th degree to adopt.

A:     Direct placement adoptions allow for out of court consents to be performed by an attorney for legal parents wanting to place their child up for adoption.  This can be performed 72 hours after the child is born and the legal parent has five business days to revoke his or her consent, after the revocation period the consent cannot be undone without a showing of fraud or duress.

A:   Yes, a guardian has to first seek permission from the court prior to petitioning for adoption and the rights of the parents must be terminated through a hearing unless they provide consent.

A:  The length of time to complete an adoption varies but usually you can expect an adoption to be completed in approximately six months.

A:  The filing fees vary depending on the type of adoption and the county the adoption is in.  Usually, the fees range between $185 to $255 for the initial filing.