Adult adoption can be a meaningful way to legally recognize a parent-child relationship that already exists in practice. If you helped raise someone as a stepparent, foster parent or mentor,
Michigan law allows you to adopt someone even if they are 18 or older. Following the required steps of the process is vital to secure emotional fulfillment and legal protections for your family.
Advantages of adult adoption
Finalizing your familial bond with an adult adoptee has symbolic value. It provides a sense of belonging and formality to your parent-child relationship. Additionally, it simplifies the process of updating their government names because they have legal recognition as your child.
When you are planning your financial legacy, adult adoption can also offer legal security for you and your child. Becoming an adoptive parent helps establish clear inheritance rights and next of kin status if you need a family member for medical emergencies or end-of-life decisions.
The legal process in Michigan
You initiate your petition in the Family Division of the Circuit Court in the county where you or the adult adoptee resides. Unlike minor adoptions, adopting an adult in Michigan generally does not require the following:
- Home studies
- Social worker visits
- Termination of biological parental rights
- Consent from biological parents
The primary legal requirement is the formal written consent of both the person being adopted and you as the petitioner.
Other requirements include an investigation report completed by an adoption caseworker. Moreover, you are responsible for providing the information of the adoptee’s biological parents (if applicable) so they can be notified of your petition.
What to expect at the hearing
Provided the petitioners are approved to adopt, you can look forward to the court hearing as a celebration of your new family. The process is typically a brief, joyous occasion where a judge signs the Order of Adoption. Michigan will also issue a new birth certificate for your child, listing you as their legal parent.
Honoring the family you built
It is never too late to formalize the parent-child bond you share with your chosen family. A lawyer can help you draft your petition correctly so the process moves forward smoothly.