Where can I find Georgia's adoption statutes?

Georgia's stepparent adoption statutes are found in the Official Code of Georgia Title 19, Chapter 8, and you can look up each section by searching for its citation number.

The sections most stepparents look for:

• O.C.G.A. § 19-8-3 covers residency. Georgia has no minimum residency period for this requirement.
• O.C.G.A. § 19-8-4 covers the child's consent. A child who is 14 or older has a consent requirement.
• O.C.G.A. § 19-8-10 covers abandonment, which is a 12-month period. It matters when the other biological parent isn't taking part in the adoption.
• O.C.G.A. § 19-8-16 covers the home study. Georgia waives it for stepparents.

Where your case actually goes: Stepparent adoptions in Georgia are filed in the Superior Court of your county. Georgia has 159 counties, and each clerk's office can tell you about local filing procedures. The filing fee typically falls between $200 and $500, and the total cost is typically under $600. Stepparent adoptions typically take 3-6 months.

A few practical notes:

• Reading the statute gives you the legal framework, but it doesn't replace the forms your county's court expects. The clerk's office can confirm local requirements.
• If your situation is contested, or the other parent can't be found, how the statutes apply depends on your specific facts. Ask the Superior Court clerk or an attorney about that particular issue.
• If you need a detail that isn't listed above, such as a deadline or a form name, the clerk in your county can confirm it.

Common questions the statutes relate to:

• If the other parent objects, Georgia courts will proceed if abandonment can be proven. The court's focus is what's best for your child.
• Sporadic child support payments don't prevent an abandonment finding if the parent lacks meaningful involvement in your child's life. Georgia courts look at the whole relationship, not just money.
• Once the adoption is final, the other biological parent's child support obligation typically ends, though past-due support usually remains owed.

How we help: You don't have to read the code yourself to complete an adoption. 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 (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. We've helped 1422 Georgia families, and our service comes with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.