IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF MADISON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

IN RE: THE ADOPTION OF A MINOR CHILD

UNCLE AND AUNT
and
GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER

PETITIONERS

VS.

CAUSE NO. AD-

NATURAL MOTHER AND

NATURAL FATHER

RESPONDENTS

PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION

COME NOW Uncle and Aunt and Grandfather and Grandmother, and file this, their
Petition for Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption of a minor child, and in support of such
Petition, would show unto the Court the following, to-wit:
1.
Petitioners Uncle and Aunt, a married couple, are adult resident citizens of the State of
Colorado, residing in the City of Evergreen, County of Jefferson.
2.
Petitioners Grandfather and Grandmother, a married couple, are adult resident citizens of
the State of Mississippi, residing at 100 Park Cove, Canton, Mississippi, 39046. By virtue of the
Final Order entered by this Court on September 30, 2015, in Cause No. 2013-390, Grandfather
and Grandmother are the current custodians of their granddaughter, R.E.M., a minor child born
in September of 2012.
3.
Respondent Natural Mother is the biological mother of R.E.M. and can be served with
process of this Court at 3794 Highway 468, Pearl, Mississippi, 39208, where she is Inmate No.
123456 at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.

4.
Respondent Natural Father is the biological father of R.E.M. and is believed to be
presently residing at 111 El Paso Avenue, Clarksdale, Mississippi, 38614, where he may be
served with process of this Court.
5.
Petitioners would show that numerous criteria set forth in both Miss. Code Ann. 93-177(2) and Miss. Code Ann. 93-15-103 apply to termination of Respondent Natural Mothers
parental rights. Natural Mother, having had only limited contact with the minor child since
initially losing custody in 2013, has had no contact with the minor child since the end of 2014,
has expressed no interest or desire in assisting to raise the child, has provided no financial
support or assistance to present custodians Grandfather and Grandmother help with the costs of
raising and caring for the minor child and is now a convicted felon serving a sentence of five (5)
years for burglary. Further, Natural Mother suffers from a medical or emotional illness, behavior
disorder, substance abuse and/or chemical dependency rendering her unable or unwilling to
provide an adequate permanent home for the child at the present time or in the reasonably near
future based upon an established pattern of behavior. It is in the best interests of the minor child
that the parental rights of the mother be terminated, including all of her rights of inheritance from
the minor child. Accordingly, after a hearing hereon, Natural Mothers parental rights to the
minor child should be terminated.
6.
Petitioners would show that numerous criteria set forth in both Miss. Code Ann. 93-177(2) and Miss. Code Ann. 93-15-103 apply to termination of Respondent Natural Fathers
parental rights. Natural Father has had limited contact with the minor child since her birth, has
provided no financial support or assistance to present custodians Grandfather and Grandmother
2

to help with the costs of raising and caring for the minor child, has a history of significant drug
abuse and is believed to still be abusing drugs. Further, Natural Father suffers from a medical or
emotional illness, behavior disorder, substance abuse and/or chemical dependency rendering him
unable or unwilling to provide an adequate permanent home for the child at the present time or in
the reasonably near future based upon an established pattern of behavior. It is in the best interests
of the minor child that the parental rights of the father be terminated, including all of his rights of
inheritance from the minor child. Accordingly, after a hearing hereon, Natural Fathers parental
rights to the minor child should be terminated.
7.
It is the desire of Petitioners Uncle and Aunt and Petitioners Grandfather and
Grandmother that Uncle and Aunt be allowed to adopt said minor, R.E.M. Uncle and Aunt love
the child sought to be adopted, and they are financially able to provide said child with all the
comforts and necessities, as well as many of the luxuries of life. The adoption sought herein is
necessary to secure stable placement for the minor, and it is in the best interests of the minor
child to be adopted as sought herein.
8.
Petitioners Uncle and Aunt will obtain an affidavit from a physician stating that in recent
days the child sought for adoption has been examined by said physician and is in good physical
and mental condition. A copy of said Affidavit will be presented to this Court when same is
made available.
9.
Pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. 93-17-3(4), Petitioners would show that the minor child
sought for adoption owns no property and possesses no assets.

10.
Uncle and Aunt further desire that the Court adjudicate said child, if permitted to be
adopted by them, to have the full rights of inheritance from and through Uncle and Aunt.
Petitioners Uncle and Aunt and Petitioners Grandfather and Grandmother would further show
that the biological mother and father of said child should not inherit by or through the child
sought to be adopted, as all parental rights of the biological mother and father should be
terminated.
WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Petitioners pray that their Petition be
received and filed and that, upon a hearing hereon, that Uncle and Aunt be permitted to forever
adopt the minor child, R.E.M., that all parental rights of the mother and father be terminated, and
that Petitioners request that the name of the minor child be changed to R.E.F. Petitioners pray
for such other and further relief, either general or special, as to which in the premises they would
be entitled to receive and for all of which, in duty bound, they will ever pray.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, this, the ____ day of March, 2016.
__________________________________
UNCLE

__________________________________
GRANDFATHER

___________________________________
AUNT

__________________________________
GRANDMOTHER

Prepared and Submitted By:

__________________________________
LAWYER, MSB#103437
Law Office, PLLC
600 North State Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
Attorney for Petitioners

STATE OF ______________
COUNTY OF ___________
PERSONALLY CAME AND APPEARED BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority in
and for the jurisdiction aforesaid, the within named UNCLE and AUNT, after both being by me
first duly sworn, on oath stated that the matters and facts contained in the above and foregoing
document are true and correct to the best of their knowledge and beliefs.
_____________________________
UNCLE
_______________________________
AUNT
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME, this, the ___ day of March, 2016.
_________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
My Commission Expires:
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
COUNTY OF _________
PERSONALLY CAME AND APPEARED BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority in
and for the jurisdiction aforesaid, the within named GRANDFATHER and GRANDMOTHER,
after both being by me first duly sworn, on oath stated that the matters and facts contained in the
above and foregoing document are true and correct to the best of their knowledge and beliefs.
_____________________________
GRANDFATHER
_______________________________
GRANDMOTHER
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME, this, the ___ day of March, 2016.
_________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
My Commission Expires: