Instructions For Adoption Finalization Without A Lawyer

(Pro Se)

THE FINALIZATION PROCESS

After your child is placed with you, your Adoption Counselor will visit your home for a post placement visit, and will write a report which will be sent to the Agency that placed the child. Your counselor will tell you how many post placement reports (home visits, office visits, or telephone contacts) are necessary before it is time to finalize your child's adoption in court. Please note * usually all fees must be paid before you may proceed with finalization.

When your counselor has written the final post placement report, your Agency will recommend that the adoption be finalized. You will need to obtain the Consent from the Agency that has legal custody of your child.

If an overseas Agency has legal custody, your Agency must send the post placement report to them; they will review the report and prepare the Consent, which they send to your Agency office. For some overseas adoptions, you will already have the legal court documents from your child's birth country.

After your Agency receives the Consent, you must finalize your child's adoption in your County Court. Let your Finalization Coordinator at your Agency know you are going to finalize Pro Se and ask that the paperwork, (including the Consent , either be sent directly to you or to your County Court. (You will need to provide them with this address). It is better if you can have the court paperwork sent directly to you because then you can personally deliver it to the Courthouse and know when it got there.

If you have adopted a child from another country, the final step in the process is to have your child become a United States citizen. It is very important that you apply for your child's U.S. citizenship as soon as the adoption is final in court. It takes several months for this process to be complete.

Download Application for Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted Child

Very often your Adoption Agency will require you to notify them of your Finalization Date and request a copy of the Adoption Decree. Also, they often want to be notified when your child is granted U.S. citizenship. The agency very often has to supply this information to the overseas Agency that placed your child.

Step One

1. Click on the Document Buttons Below This Line; Type Your Personal Information Over the Red Words And Print Them Out:

A. Petition For Adoption

B. Order Directing Filing of Placement and Post-Placement Reports (Order Appointing Next Friend)

C. Findings of Fact and Conclusion of Law

D. Note For Hearing on The Adoption Calendar
E. Decree of Adoption

Step Two

2. Have A. Petition For Adoption Notarized.

 

Step Three

3. When You Have Completed All The Documents, Take:

A. Notarized Petition For Adoption, B. Order Directing of Placement and Post Placement Reports, and the Consent from your Agency to the clerk of the County Court. You must also take the Filing fee. (Varies from Court to Court-our fee was $110.)  At the time of this writing, the court in our county will not accept anything except Cash.   Be prepared to wait for a Judge to sign your B. Order Directing Filing of Placement and Post-Placement Reports.

Note: Do not leave until you know this has been done. Some Courts are now setting aside a specific block of time for Judges to sign documents. (This may vary from Court to Court). The clerk should tell you how to get the Order signed.

The clerk will Assign a Number to your Case. This number goes on All of the other Forms. Request Forms to order a Birth Certificate for your child (ask the clerk how much it will cost and how it should be paid for when you file for it). You will file these Forms at a later date.

 

Step Four

4. After Filing:

B. Order Directing Filing of Placement and Post Placement Reports Call or Write your Agency and ask that your Placement and Post-Placement Report(s) (also called Next Friend Report(s)) be sent to the court. Ensure that they are also sending the Adoption Data Card. The Adoption Data Card is required by the State to obtain a Birth Certificate.

Note: If your Agency knows you are doing a Pro Se adoption, they may ask if you want the Placement and Post Placement Report(s) and the Adoption Data Card be sent to you. This is OK, but you must ensure that they get to the Court and are filed with your Case Number.

Tell the Agency the Case Number and the Address of the County Court.

Ask for a Copy of the letter your Agency sends to the court along with your Placement and Post-Placement Report(s). Your Agency should be familiar with this process. Allow about two weeks before you receive a copy of the letter or verify over the phone that they have Forwarded their report(s) to the Court.

 

Step Five

5. At Least 2 Weeks Prior To Your Requested Court Date Take:

D. Note For Hearing on the Adoption Calender to the clerk with the date requesting your hearing. The Court will probably require at least a two-week notice. This document has been replaced in some courts by a Pre-Printed Form which you fill in and make your request on. Ask the clerk if they have a Pre-Printed Form.

 

Step Six

6. On your Court Date Take:

E. Decree of Adoption
C. Findings of Fact and Conclusion of Law
Birth Certificate Forms to order Birth Certificate (filled out)
Adoption Data Card (If the Agency sent it to you)
Check to pay for Birth Certificate

You may also want to bring your Camera to record the event.
Most Judges enjoy doing adoptions and are more than happy to have their picture taken with you and your child.

 

Congratulations!

You've done it and saved yourself a lot of money!