{"id":1704,"date":"2019-02-28T21:27:03","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T02:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/?p=1704"},"modified":"2025-11-05T22:51:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T03:51:52","slug":"relative-stepparent-adoption-service-of-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/relative-stepparent-adoption-service-of-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Pro Se Adopciones Familiares y los padres biol\u00f3gicos no localizados"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/downloads.mailchimp.com\/js\/signup-forms\/popup\/unique-methods\/embed.js\" data-dojo-config=\"usePlainJson: true, isDebug: false\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.dojoRequire([\"mojo\/signup-forms\/Loader\"], function(L) { L.start({\"baseUrl\":\"mc.us20.list-manage.com\",\"uuid\":\"90bc8a78c83b08a7b54b73a8d\",\"lid\":\"52b279cdf9\",\"uniqueMethods\":true}) })<\/script><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">But I don&#8217;t know where they are! &#8211; When birth parents can&#8217;t be located.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most common scenarios we encounter at <a href=\"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/florida-relative-grandparent-stepparent-adoptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Florida Family Adoptions<\/a> is when we get a call from a relative (mostly grandparents) wishing to adopt their grandchildren, but they don&#8217;t know where the biological parents are.\u00a0 Unlocated parents can present challenges to Florida pro se litigants wanting to adopt their relatives, but they are not insurmountable.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">I haven\u2019t seen the parents for a long time. \u00a0How can I adopt when I don\u2019t know where they are?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are clear procedural steps you must take when filing your pro se Florida step-parent or relative adoption and the location of the biological parent(s) is not known.\u00a0 You must show the court that you have, in good faith, exhausted all avenues to try to find the parent(s) so that they can receive notice of the adoption (service of process).\u00a0 This is most commonly called a \u201cdiligent search\u201d, and it can be tedious and time-consuming to do correctly without the proper resources.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Types of Service of Process Permitted in Adoption<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Specifically, within the context of Florida Step-Parent or Relative Adoptions, notice to the biological parents can be given in two ways:<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Personal Service of Process<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Florida Statute states that service of process to a parent whose rights are being terminated pending an adoption <strong>must be \u201cpersonally served<\/strong>\u201d.[1]\u00a0 In Florida, personal service of process is defined as a \u201cprocess delivered by hand directly to the person against whom the process is issued.\u201d[2]\u00a0 Because the parental rights of one, or both parents, are being terminated, the only acceptable method of service is direct personal service.\u00a0 <strong>Substitute service is not permitted<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Constructive Service (Publication)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This type of service is approved by the court when any person whose consent to the step-parent or relative adoption cannot be located, and a diligent search fails to locate them.[3]\u00a0 Under these circumstances, the parent(s) may be served by publication.\u00a0 Publication entails a notice published in a periodical (newspaper) of general circulation, once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks.[4]\u00a0 The newspaper must provide you with proof of publication in the form of an affidavit.\u00a0 This affidavit is filed with the Court where your family adoption is pending.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">I completed my diligent search, but I\u2019ve been unable to locate the biological parent(s).\u00a0 The Court is allowing a publication. Where is the notice published?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is a great question, because there is a great deal of misinformation out there regarding the issue of where the \u201cNotice of Action\u201d is published.\u00a0 Generally, in Florida court cases, the place of publication is governed by Florida Statute Chapter 49.\u00a0 This chapter specifically states which types of cases allow constructive service, and adoption is included in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leg.state.fl.us\/Statutes\/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&amp;Search_String=&amp;URL=0000-0099\/0049\/Sections\/0049.011.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Florida Statute \u00a749.011<\/a>(10).<\/p>\n<p>Contrary to popular belief, the notice to be published (the Notice of Action) in a <strong>Florida relative or stepparent adoption case<\/strong> is <strong>NOT<\/strong> published in the county where the proceeding is pending OR where the petitioners (you, the pro se party) resides.\u00a0 To do so would be incorrect.<\/p>\n<p>In accordance with the provisions of Florida Statute \u00a763.088(6), a Notice of Action being published in connection with an adoption <strong><u>MUST<\/u><\/strong> <strong><em>\u201c\u2026be published IN THE COUNTY WHERE THE PERSON WAS LAST KNOWN TO HAVE RESIDED\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/strong> [emphasis mine].<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the Florida Family Rules of Procedure, Rule 12.070 states:<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For constructive service of process on the legal father in any case or proceeding to establish paternity which would result in termination of the legal father\u2019s parental rights, the petitioner must file an affidavit of diligent search and inquiry that conforms with Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.913(c). If the legal father cannot be located, he must be served with process by publication in the manner provided by chapter 49, Florida Statutes. <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The notice must be published in the county where the legal father was last known to have resided.<\/span><\/strong> The clerk of the circuit court must mail a copy of the notice to the legal father at his last known address.&#8221;\u00a0<\/em>[emphasis mine]<\/p>\n<p>If you publish elsewhere because the Clerk of the Court or anyone else told you to, you run the risk of wasting your money AND having the Court deny your petition due to a faulty constructive service.<\/p>\n<p>I receive many phone calls from customers who tell me that the Deputy Clerk wants them to publish locally.\u00a0 In some instances, the Clerk actually gives the petitioner a business card for the local newspaper!<\/p>\n<p>In one recent case, the unfortunate customers followed the Clerk\u2019s instructions, but were unable to finalize their adoption when the Judge refused to accept the local publication as proper notice.\u00a0 They had to start over with the publication, which they could barely afford, not to mention the aggravation of having to wait for the new Notice of Action to be issued by the Court.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, there is a lot of incorrect information being passed around \u2013 it\u2019s a peril that all Florida pro se litigants must be aware of.\u00a0 Surprisingly, (but not so surprisingly to me) <strong>many<\/strong> Clerks of Court, pro se coordinators, and even Judges do not have a lot of experience with Florida private step-parent and relative adoptions.\u00a0\u00a0 On the other hand, there are circuit courts that are exceptional.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Can you help us navigate through this procedural maze?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/florida-relative-grandparent-stepparent-adoptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Florida Family Adoptions<\/a> was founded for the sole purpose of providing self-represented (pro se) families with clerical and procedural assistance with their relative or stepparent adoption without breaking the bank.\u00a0 If you\u2019d like to discuss your project, please call or use the contact form below.\u00a0 We\u2019d be delighted to talk with you.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">In Conclusion.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you are a pro se litigant filing your own step-parent or relative adoption in the Florida courts, keep in mind that regardless of what you have been told or have heard, even from court personnel, the provisions of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leg.state.fl.us\/statutes\/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&amp;URL=0000-0099\/0063\/0063ContentsIndex.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Florida Statute Chapter 63<\/a> is the ultimate authority regarding constructive service of process on an unlocated birth parent. So now you know.<\/p>\n<p>Blessings and blessings.<\/p>\n<p>[1] Florida Statute \u00a763.088(3) \u2013 Notice and Service; Diligent Search<\/p>\n<p>[2] US Legal, Inc., Legal Dictionary \u2013 www.uslegal.com<\/p>\n<p>[3] Florida Statute \u00a763.088(6) \u2013 Notice and Service; Diligent Search<\/p>\n<p>[4] Florida Statute \u00a749.10(1)(a)<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"formAnchor2131450656\" name=\"form2131450656\"><\/a><br \/>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fs22.formsite.com\/include\/form\/embedManager.js?2131450656\"><\/script><br \/>\n<script>\nEmbedManager.embed({\n\tkey: \"https:\/\/fs22.formsite.com\/res\/showFormEmbed?EParam=m_OmK8apOTCLFP8Ovs7sA0WklWeCC-uXFzpUCZwnDno&2131450656\",\n\twidth: \"100%\"\n});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a1Pero no s\u00e9 d\u00f3nde est\u00e1n! - Cuando no se puede localizar a los padres biol\u00f3gicos. Uno de los escenarios m\u00e1s comunes que encontramos en Florida Family Adoptions es cuando recibimos una llamada de un familiar (en su mayor\u00eda abuelos) que desean adoptar a sus nietos, pero no saben d\u00f3nde est\u00e1n los padres biol\u00f3gicos.  Los padres no localizados pueden presentar ... <a title=\"Florida Pro Se Adopciones Familiares y los padres biol\u00f3gicos no localizados\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/relative-stepparent-adoption-service-of-process\/\" aria-label=\"Leer m\u00e1s sobre Las adopciones familiares pro se en Florida y los padres biol\u00f3gicos no localizados\">Seguir leyendo<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[356,740,358,357],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adoption","category-family-law","category-relative-adoption","category-stepparent-adoption"],"modified_by":"John Bayne","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1704"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17159,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1704\/revisions\/17159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/floridadocument.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}