What do I bring to the adoption finalization hearing in New Jersey?

You bring photo ID, your copies of the filed petition and supporting paperwork, and the court notice for your hearing to the Superior Court in your New Jersey county. If the child is 10 or older, they attend too. Exact requirements can vary by county, so the Superior Court clerk where you filed can confirm anything specific to your courthouse.

Identification and court papers:

• Photo ID for you and your spouse (the child's parent)
• The hearing notice you received from the court, so you have the date, time and courtroom
• Your copy of the filed petition and every document filed with it
• The child's birth certificate and your marriage certificate, in case the judge or clerk asks to see them

Papers specific to your case:

• If the other legal parent signed a consent, bring your copy.
• If the other parent is deceased, bring a copy of the death certificate.
• If the other parent's location was unknown, New Jersey allows service by publication after diligent search efforts. Bring your copies of the search records and publication paperwork.
• If you are asking for a name change as part of the adoption, bring the name details. New Jersey allows this with no additional court cost.
• A home study is waived for stepparent adoptions under N.J.S.A. § 9:3-48, so you generally have no home study report to carry in. Ask the clerk if your county sent any other notice.

If your case depends on the other parent's absence or lack of contact, New Jersey has a six-month abandonment period under N.J.S.A. § 9:3-46. Whether your facts fit that is a question for the court clerk or an attorney.

Who should come:

• You and your spouse.
• The child. New Jersey does not require the child's consent. A child 10 or older attends the final hearing, and the court considers the child's wishes. Younger children are welcome to come too, if your court allows.
• Close family and friends. Check with the clerk about how many people the courtroom accommodates.

Nice extras:

• A phone or camera. Ask the judge's permission before taking photos.
• A notebook and pen for the clerk's instructions about certified copies.
• Something small for younger children to do while they wait.

What to expect: The judge reviews your case, may speak with you and the child, and, if everything is in order, signs the adoption order. Ask the clerk how to get certified copies of the order, and how many you will want, since agencies and schools often ask for them.

After the hearing: Ask the clerk how to request certified copies of the order. Then contact the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registration about the child's new birth certificate. Once you have it, update school, medical and insurance records and Social Security.

Stepparent adoptions in New Jersey typically take about 3-6 months from start to finish, so keep your hearing notice and any later notices together in one folder.

How we help: StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 1204 New Jersey families.