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I have started the research to adopt my 5yo step-son. I have been married to the bio-mom for over 2 years and the whereabouts of the bio-dad is unknown. We have done a "diligent" search for him. His last known address was an apartment which he moved out before the child was born. We searched the county property records and the "white pages" on the internet to try to locate him but he is not to be found. He has not participated in any way to the rearing of the child (physical, emotional, monitarily). By state law we can publish a notice in the newspaper of the county we live in and the county of the last known residence (which is different but in the same state). We are trying to do the adoption process without a lawyer. I have all of the State Statutes and have found the necessary forms. My question is, do I need to have the notice to the bio-dad published prior to the filing of the adoption petition? Is this something that we have to handle with the newspapers ourselves or is this something that the Clerk of Court will handle? Thanks
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I had the same problem, I adopted my step son, and of course that was the one time that we could not locate his ex-wife. We published in our local newspaper, which is where she last lived, but I am not sure if the attorney did it, or the clerk of court. I do know that if you publish in a paper that is state wide, that covers you such as the Atlanta Journal Const. Call the newspaper and ask them who does them. Sorry that I could not be any more help...Good luck!
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We only had to post our notice in OUR county paper, in northern VA. We too had a bio who just slipped away. We used a lawyer, and she filed the petition, and dropped her notice off at the newspaper office. I would just call the clerk of courts and ask if the notice needs to be published before or after you file the petition. What you do need to make sure of is that you pay off the newspaper notice quickly (depending on how costly it is ours was several hundred dollars) because the newspaper will hold onto the papers necessary for the adoption to continue, until they get all of their money. Hope that you have a smooth adoption. It is a long wait for the notice to be done and over with, but one that is totally worth it.