One of the most common adoption scenarios is when a stepmother or stepfather wants to adopt their stepchildren. This is a fairly easy thing to accomplish if the biological parent consents. If everyone agrees to the adoption, all that an attorney needs to do is file a petition, the consent of the biological parent, and just a few other papers. A judge will then conduct a brief hearing that the child should attend. Most judges talk to the child and will allow for pictures afterward. In fact, this happens in almost all adoption cases, as judges really seem to like presiding over them. The court clerk then helps so that the children can obtain new birth certificates with their new last name and parent. This is also common to all adoptions. If the child was born in another state, there may be an extra step to get the new birth certificate.