Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
“In 2002 I was a drug addict and knew after giving birth that I would be doing time , so I found a woman to adopt my son. We knew nothing of how to go about legal adoption papers and were told that a notarized document would be sufficient. Not so! I had a c-section and was heavily sedated after giving birth. While the new mom and her, at the time, boyfriend were in the room or rather, he was alone, he forged his name on the birth certificate. He was not, nor has he ever been, a very nice person and he knew that his and her relationship was coming to an end – this was the ultimate revenge. He took my son away from her and even went to court and stripped everything from her . My name is still on the birth certificate and I’m clean and sober after 10 years. I just learned of this news a year ago and am sick to my stomach at the thought of this cold-hearted man having my child and raising him to be an undesirable adult . How can I get my son away from the forger and back to the woman I chose to be his new mom?”
You will need to contact an attorney who specializes in adoptions and family law, and ASAP because there may be a statute of limitations (something that stops you from being able to enforce a right under the law) on which the clock may be running, as often it is “one year from when you knew or should have known” about the situation.
