Yes

Perfect — knowing where the other parent is actually makes the service process more straightforward (even though it might feel a bit awkward to have to notify them).

Here's what will happen:

Since you know their location, they'll be served by certified mail or sheriff's service (depending on what your county requires — our instructions will specify). This is just a legal formality to notify them that the adoption is proceeding.

Important points:

• They can't stop it. Being notified doesn't give them power to block the adoption. The 6+ years of abandonment means their consent isn't required.
• They might not respond at all. Most don't. If they do respond and object, the court will still proceed based on the abandonment — the judge will see they had no contact since 2018.
• This is standard procedure. Every adoption requires proper legal service. It's not optional, but it's also not complicated.

The timeline once you file:

1. You file the petition with the court

2. Other parent gets served (usually takes 1-2 weeks)

3. Background check gets processed (3-4 weeks)

4. Court schedules your final hearing (usually 2-3 months out)

5. Judge finalizes the adoption at the hearing

Total time: about 3 months from filing to finalization.

Ready to get started? The questionnaire at stepparentadoption360.com/questionnaire will ask for the other parent's last known address. If it's changed since 2018, just put what you know — if service fails at that address, we can then proceed with publication (newspaper notice).

Any other questions about the process or what to expect?