16 yr old requesting step father adoption. Currently suspended visitation order from Texas with joint custody non-custodial biological father. No contact with joint custody non-custodial parent in 2 years. No child support being paid, no order for child support either. Parent petition for joint custody 3 years ago and only wanted custody of the half-sibling and stopped communicating with 16 yr and split the siblings. Half-sibling graduated and has gone to basic training. 16 yr old afraid non-custodial parent will try to reverse suspended visitation orders and make 16 yr old visit him 2000 miles away in another state.

Do I have to contact the other parent if I have had no contact with the parent in over a year and the child has not had any contact with the parent in 2 years for the step parent adoption? I don't want any money, step parent and I have been supporting the 16 yr old including medical/dental without help for 2 years, Step parent has provided for 16 yr old for a total of 8 years. Can the 16 yr old decide whether they want to go on visitation if they have had no contact with parent?

How do I register a foreign decree, modify parent-child relationship and child visitation suspension order from another state? If I do that will they make the other parent pay child support even if I don't want it?

Thank you for your question, Oak. Are you in California? If so, what county? Sounds like what you need to do is terminate father's parental rights over the 16-year old. You can do that where, as here, father has not contacted the child or paid any support in over a year. The Petition to terminate can be filed in conjunction with a petition for step-parent adoption.

I don't see any reason to register the Texas order here in California, since you're not trying to get support. Also, I don't think father would have a chance of enforcing the Texas custody order here. I don't think any Court or mediator would force a 16-year old to visit with father who hasn't contacted her in all that time. Does this answer your question?