In an emotional family law case, a man was denied the right to visit the 3-year-old boy he says he raised as his son. The boy was adopted by the man's former wife, but the man never filed the stepparent adoption papers that would have given him legal parental rights.

At stake is the question of whether filing the papers was a "mere technicality," as the husband contends, or whether bending the law to make an exception in this case would have a confusing effect on how other cases in the family court are decided.

The husband, a state prosecutor, says he didn't get around to filing the adoption papers as he was busy looking for work and raising three children. He also never had a sense of urgency as he never expected his marriage would end. He also claims that his ex-spouse told him that his parental relationship with the child -- who shares his last name -- would continue on.

The wife has three adopted children. The oldest she adopted right before her marriage to the prosecutor. The couple adopted the youngest together, and have both since been granted joint custody. It's the middle child that is currently at the center of this family law case.

So far in this case, a trial court ruled against the ex-husband being granted visitation rights. However, he has appealed this decision.

Overall, this case highlights the importance of having stepparent adoption paperwork properly filled out in a timely matter. For in this case, most likely if the man had just filled out the paperwork in the beginning, he would not be in court having to fight to see the child he considers his son.

Source: Chicago Tribune, "3-year-old adoptee at center of unusual custody fight," Steve Schmadeke, Jan. 29, 2012