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6 verbatim requirements from 5th Jud. Cir., Lake County – Self-Help Center — sha256-hashed 2026-07-25.
Fifth Judicial Circuit (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter). Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Verbatim from https://www.circuit5.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/stepparent-adoption-minor-children.pdf, harvested 2026-07-25; whitespace normalised only. • Consent of Adoptee - Form 12.981(a)(2) – Must be completed if the adoptee is over 12 years old. • Stepparent Adoption: • 63.054(7)(a) a search of the Putative Father Registry shall be done in ALL adoption cases, regardless of joint petitioner being the natural father. • After the Court has signed the order granting the motion, a certified copy from the Clerk’s Office must be obtained and mailed to Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics along with the application and fee to perform the search. • Affidavit of Nonpaternity Form 12.981(a)(3) – Use of this form is required only when a stepfather is adopting his wife’s minor child, and the mother and natural father were never married and paternity has not been established by a valid acknowledgement or court proceeding. • Certified Copy of Adoptee(s) Birth Certificate(s) -- 1 of 2 -- • Constructive Service **MUST attempt Personal Service at respondent’s last known address BEFORE proceeding with this type of service** • Publication is required. • Additional Forms: • Motion for Default and Default - Forms 12.922 (a and b) Filed when more than twenty (20) days from service has passed and Responding party has NOT filed an Answer. • Notice for Trial - Form 12.924 -- 2 of 2 --
Consent of Adoptee - Form 12.981(a)(2) – Must be completed if the adoptee is over 12 years old. • Stepparent Adoption:
Reviewer note: PDF sha256: 3db4251613a00813d1e91d2a196d8ccdb7e0b0b30239bd9e889a1f1a802bd8b2. Extracted from the document's own text layer.
Judge Bell caps motions and responses at 5 pages for UMC hearings and 12 pages for special-set hearings.
Judge Alijewicz requires every motion for attorney's fees and/or costs to attach a document detailing time records — no records, no fee award.
Judge Corlew bars informal contact: every communication with the Court must be in writing, filed with the Clerk, with copies furnished to all parties — and no calls to the JA to schedule or cancel UMC.