NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR ADOPTION

NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR ADOPTION PROBATE COURT OF STARK COUNTY, OHIO CURT WERREN, JUDGE ADOPTION OF PENELOPE MARIE WAYTS CASE NO. 254252 To: MATTHEW MERITT, whose current place of residence and whereabouts are unknown and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained, and JOHN DOE, whose current place of residence and whereabouts are unknown and cannot with reasonable diligence be ascertained, you are hereby notified that on December 23, 2025, REBECCA ANN WAYTS filed in this Court a Petition for Adoption of PENELOPE MARIE LEWTON, a minor, whose date of birth is 04/12/2018, and for a change of the name of the minor to PENELOPE MARIE WAYTS. This Court, located at 110 Central Plaza South, Suite 501, Canon, Ohio 44702, will hear the Petition on: March 16, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. It is alleged in the petition, pursuant to R.C. 3107.07, that the consent of Matthew Meritt is not required due to the following: That person is a parent who has failed without justifiable cause to have more than de minimis contact with the minor for a period of one year immediately preceding the filing of the petition. That person is a person who has failed without justifiable cause to provide meaningful and regular maintenance and support of the minor as required by law or judicial decree for a period of one year immediately preceding the filing of the petition A FINAL DECREE OF ADOPTION, IF GRANTED, WILL TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO CONTACT THE MINOR. ALL LEGAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE MINOR AND YOU AND YOUR RELATIVES WILL TERMINATE, SO THAT THE MINOR IS A STRANGER TO YOU AND YOUR RELATIVES FOR ALL PURPOSES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DIVISION (A)(1)(b) OF SECTION 3107.15 OF THE REVISED CODE. IF YOU OBJECT TO THE ADOPTION, AND THE MINOR WAS ONE YEAR OF AGE OR OLDER AT THE TIME THE PETITION FOR ADOPTION WAS FILED, YOU MUST DO BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING: (1)FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION WITH THE COURT WITHIN TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS FROM THE DATE OF SERVICE OF NOTICE OF THE FILING OF THE PETITION AND OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF HEARING. FOR GOOD CAUSE SHOWN, THE COURT MAY EXTEND THE TIME IN WHICH A WRITTEN OBJECTION MAY BE FILED. (2)APPEAR AT THE HEARING. A FINAL DECREE OF ADOPTION MAY BE ENTERED IF YOU FAIL TO FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION ON TIME AND APPEAR AT THE HEARING. RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY. IF YOU ARE INDIGENT AND UNABLE TO EMPLOY AN ATTORNEY, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY PROVIDED FOR YOU PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 120. OF THE REVISED CODE. YOU MUST CONTACT THE COURT ON RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE IF YOU ARE REQUESTING THAT AN ATTORNEY BE APPOINTED FOR YOU. THE COURT SHALL CONSIDER A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR AN ATTORNEY OR A NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED BY AN ATTORNEY ON YOUR BEHALF, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ABOVEMENTIONED TIME FRAMES, AS GROUNDS FOR AN EXTENSION TO FILE WRITTEN OBJECTIONS. January 9, 16, 23 2026 LWOO0436149