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INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORM 12.981(a)(6), MOTION FOR SEARCH OF THE PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY When should this form be used? This form should be used when a stepparent is adopting his or her spouse's child. Section 63.054, Florida Statutes, requires that a search of Florida's Putative Father Registry be conducted in every adoption proceeding. The Office of Vital Statistics of the Department of Health has an application available called "Florida Putative Father Registry - Application for Search" which should be completed and attached to this form. The Office of Vital Statistics is allowed to charge for searching the registry. You may wish to contact that office in advance to find out what amount and method of payment will be accepted. This form should be typed or printed in black ink. The name to be given to the adoptee after the adoption should be used in the heading of the petition. The stepparent is the petitioner, because he or she is the one who is asking the court for legal action. You must have your signature witnessed by a notary public or deputy clerk. After completing this form, you should file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you have filed the Joint Petition for Adoption by Stepparent, O` Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(b)(1) and keep a copy for your records. These family law forms contain an Order Granting Motion for Search of Putative Father Registry, O` Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(7), which the judge may use. You should check with the clerk, family law intake staff or judicial assistant to see if you need to provide this form order to the judge with your motion. If so, you should type or print the heading, including the circuit, county, case number, division, and the child(ren)'s name, and leave the rest blank for the judge to complete. What should I do next? If the judge grants your motion, you will need to take the order, your completed application, and any fee to the Office of Vital Statistics. That office will conduct the search and file the results with the clerk of court. You may call the clerk's office to determine when the results have been filed in order to set a final hearing. 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. See Chapter 63, Florida Statutes, and Florida Family Law Rule 12.200(a)(2) for further information. Special notes... THIS ADOPTION MAY AFFECT THE ADOPTEE'S INHERITANCE. Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer helps you fill
Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(6), Motion for Search of Putative Father Registry (03/04)

out these forms, that person must give you a copy of a Disclosure from Nonlawyer, O` Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.900 (a), before he or she helps you. A nonlawyer helping you fill 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)(6), Motion for Search of Putative Father Registry (03/04)

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} Adoptee. MOTION FOR SEARCH OF THE PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY Petitioner, {full legal name} ________________________________, files this Motion for Search of the Putative Father Registry, pursuant to Chapter 63, Florida Statutes, and states: 1. This is an action for adoption of a minor by the child's stepparent, Petitioner, who is proceeding pro se. Section 63.054, Florida Statutes, requires that in every adoption, a search of the Putative Father Registry maintained by the Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics be conducted. Section 63.0541, Florida Statutes, makes information maintained by the Registry confidential and exempt from public disclosure, except that it may be disclosed to adoption entities, registrant unmarried biological fathers, and the court, upon issuance of a court order concerning a petitioner acting pro se. The "Florida Putative Father Registry - Application for Search" is completed and attached to this Motion.

2.

3.

WHEREFORE, I request that this Court enter an Order Granting Motion for Search of the Putative Father Registry. I understand that I am swearing or affirming under oath to the truthfulness of the claims made in this petition and that the punishment for knowingly making a false statement includes fines and/or imprisonment. Dated:_________________ Signature of Party
Printed Name:____________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City, State, Zip:___________________________________ Telephone Number: _______________________________ Fax Number:
Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(6), Motion for Search of Putative Father Registry (03/04)

STATE OF FLORIDA COUNTY OF ___________________________ Sworn to or affirmed and signed before me on___________________by___________________.

______________________________________________ NOTARY PUBLIC or DEPUTY CLERK ______________________________________________ [Print, type, or stamp commissioned name of notary or clerk.] _____ Personally known _____ Produced identification Type of identification produced ___________________________ IF A NONLAWYER HELPED YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM, HE/SHE MUST FILL IN THE BLANKS BELOW: [ N fill in all blanks] I, {full legal name and trade name of nonlawyer}______________________________________, a nonlawyer, located at {street} ___________________________, {city}___________________, {state} _________________, {phone}___________________, helped {name}_______________, who is the petitioner, fill out this form.

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.981(a)(6), Motion for Search of Putative Father Registry (03/04)