Fill and Sign the Florida Adoption Search Form

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORM 12.981(a)(4), STEPPARENT ADOPTION: AFFIDAVIT OF DILIGENT SEARCH (03/15) When should this form be used? Use this form to obtain constructive service (also called service by publication) in a proceeding for stepparent adoption, Joint Petition for Adoption by Stepparent, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(b)(1), when any required consent is unavailable because the address or location of the person whose consent is required is not known and cannot be determined. This form includes a checklist of places you must look for information on the location of the person whose rights you seek to terminate. You do have to look in all of these places, and the court must believe that you have made a very serious effort to get information about the person羲s location and that you have followed up on any information you received. Section 63.054, Florida Statutes, requires that in each adoption a search of Florida羲s Putative Father Registry must be conducted. You will need an order from the judge to do this, which you can request by fling a Motion for Search of the Putative Father Registry, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(6). This form should be typed or printed in black ink. After completing this form, you should file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where your petition was fled and keep a copy for your records . IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING The Florida Rules of Judicial Administration now require that all petitions, pleadings, and documents be fled electronically except in certain circumstances. Self- represented litigants may file petitions or other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you choose to fle your pleadings or documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the judicial circuit in which you fle. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed. Where can I look for more information? Before proceeding, you should read General Information for Self - Represented Litigants found at the beginning of these forms. For further information, see rule 12.070, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure and Rule 1.070, Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. Special notes... Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer helps you fll out these forms, that person must give you a copy of a Disclosure Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15) from Nonlawyer , Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.900(a), before he or she helps you. A nonlawyer helping you fll out these forms also must put his or her name, address, and telephone number on the bottom of the last page of every form he or she helps you complete. Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR __ COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No.: Division: IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF ______________________________________________ {use name to be given to the minor child(ren)} Adoptee(s). PETITION FOR STEPPARENT ADOPTION: AFFIDAVIT OF DILIGENT SEARCH I, {full legal name} , being sworn, certify that the following information is true: 1. I am the child(ren)羲s _____ mother _____ father. 2. The last known address of the child(ren)羲s other parent {name} ______ , as of {date} , was: Address City State Zip Telephone No. ____________________ Fax No. _ ______________________ ________ His/her last known employment, as of {date} , was: Name of Employer Address City State Zip Telephone No. ____________________ Fax No. ________________________ 3. The other parent is over the age of 18. 4. The other parent羲s current residence is not known and cannot be determined, although I have made a diligent search and inquiry to locate him/her through the following: You must search ALL of the following sources of information and state the results. _____United States Post Ofce inquiry through the Freedom of Information Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15) Act for the person羲s current address or any previous address. Result of search: _____Last known employment of the other parent, including name and address of employer. Result of search: _____Regulatory agencies, including professional or occupational licensing, in the area where the other parent last resided. Result of search: _____Names and addresses of relatives to the extent such can be reasonably obtained from the petitioner or other sources, contacts with those relatives and inquiry as to the other parent羲s last known address. You are to follow up any leads of any addresses where the other parent may have moved. Result of search: ______ Information about the other parent羲s possible death and, if dead, the date and location. Result of search:__________________________________________________________________ ______Telephone listings in the area where the other parent last resided. Result of search: ______Law enforcement agencies in the area where the other parent last resided. Result of search: ______Highway Patrol records in the state where the other parent last resided. Result of search: ______Department of Corrections records in the state where the other parent last resided. Result of search: ______Hospitals in the last known area of the other parent羲s residence. Result of search: ______Records of utility companies, which include water, sewer, cable TV, and electric in the last known area of the other parent羲s residence. Result of search: _ __Records of the Armed Forces of the U.S. and their response as to whether or not there is any information about the other parent. (See Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.912(a), Memorandum for Certifcate of Military Service.) Result of search: Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15) _ __Records of the tax assessor羲s and tax collector羲s ofce in the area where the other parent last resided. Result of search: ____ Search of one Internet databank locator service. Result of search: Title IV-D (child support enforcement) agency records in the state of the other parent羲s last known address. Result of search: __________________________ { if applicable}: _____ A search of the Putative Father Registry maintained by the Ofce of Vital Statistics of the Department of Health has been requested, and if granted, the certifcate from the State Registrar will be fled in this action. I understand that I am swearing or afrming under oath to the truthfulness of the claims made in this afdavit and that the punishment for knowingly making a false statement includes fines and/or imprisonment. Dated: Signature of Petitioner Printed Name: Address: City, State, Zip: Telephone Number: Fax Number : Designated E-mail Address(es): ____________________ _____________________________________________ STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15) Sworn to or afrmed and signed before me on by . NOTARY PUBLIC or DEPUTY CLERK [Print, type, or stamp commissioned name of notary or deputy clerk.] _____ Personally known _____ Produced identifcation Type of identifcation produced IF A NONLAWYER HELPED YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM, HE/SHE MUST FILL IN THE BLANKS BELOW: [fll in all blanks] This form was prepared for the petitioner. This form was completed with the assistance of: {name of individual} ______________________________________________________________, {name of business} ________________________________________________________________, {address} ________________________________________________________________________ , {city} ________________, {state} ______, {zip code}________, {telephone number} _______________. . Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(4), Petition for Stepparent Adoption: Afdavit of Diligent Search (03/15)