Legal Question in Family Law in New Mexico

adopting a grand child

Myself and my wife have raised our grandson since birth. The fathers name is not on the birth certificate and has not helped in raising him in any means at all. Do we have to notify him in adopting him and what do we have to learn and know when adopting him?....Thank you


Asked on 2/20/01, 12:04 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

John Watson John Watson, Attorney at Law

Re: adopting a grand child

We had another question similar to this one within the past few days. So, you should take advantage of the library available at law guru and get a sense of how this question has been answered. Next, the children's code of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated contains the process by which you adopt a child. Some parts of the statutes can be found online but the local library in your town has a copy of the statutes and so does the local court house. Third, the answer about which people in an adoption get notified is in the statutes. Last, this is America. Although you are allowed to sue anybody anytime about anything the bottom line thing is that you have to tell people when you sue them. An adoption is, in essence, a law suit. So, regardless of whether the father's name is on the birth certificate or not you have to notify him. Regardless of whether he has had anything to do with raising the child, you have to notify him. Lawyers, besides being expert in the law and it's application, also negotiate as a part of what they do. You may need a good negotiator in this matter. You should consider that as a part of your concern with resolving this issue. Good luck with your matter.

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Answered on 4/03/01, 8:33 am


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