The Cook & Tolley Blog


Do I Need a Family Law Attorney for an Adoption?

Every year, approximately 135,000 kids are adopted in the United States. Around 59 percent of non-stepparent adoptions are from the child welfare system, and 26 percent are from other nations.

Adopting a kid transfers to another individual all of the legal rights and responsibilities of parenthood, and the procedure may take months or years. Because it’s a constitutional right to parent your own kid, any process that transfers those rights to somebody else should be done carefully with the help of a family law attorney.

If that isn’t serious enough, the government wants to be very sure that those who want to adopt can offer a nurturing environment for the kid. As a result, the adoption process is typically slow and steady. Having a family law attorney will be extremely beneficial at every step of the process.

Are you still unconvinced there are many benefits for hiring a lawyer for adoption? If so, keep reading to learn the reasons you need a family attorney for adoption.

Adoption Is a Legal Process

Adoption has multiple laws that govern it from the start to the end. It entails the legal transfer of parental rights from a child’s birth parents to adoptive ones. It involves lengthy and complicated legal procedures necessary for successful adoption.

If you want to adopt a child, you need to petition the court to grant the adoption. You must provide evidence showing you’ve met all the statutory requirements for becoming an adoptive mother. You should also prove that the adoption is in the child’s best interests.

Besides these, you’ll have a lot of legal documents that you need to fill out. Filling them should be done at the right time with the right department.

Handling all these legal aspects might be stressful without experience and in-depth knowledge of the law. You need to seek professional assistance from a family law attorney during adoption.

With an experienced lawyer, the adoption process becomes a cinch. They understand all the legal procedures associated with adoption to navigate through them. They help fill out much paperwork and handle other complex legal matters involved with adoption.

They guide you throughout the process and ensure you achieve successful adoption.

Expedite the Adoption Process

Since it’s a lengthy and complicated process, adoption might take years to complete. But with an experienced adoption lawyer, you can complete the process within the shortest time possible. This can save you big bucks and time.

Adoption lawyers have adequate experience, so they know the adoption process. They understand the paperwork, court schedules, procedures, and requirements for a successful process. They know errors that can derail adoption, so they strive to avoid them.

They fill legal documents correctly and in time to avoid overrunning set deadlines. They understand legal language so they can interpret it quickly and accurately. This reduces the odds of making mistakes that can impede the adoption process.

Adoption lawyers have connections with authorities involved with adoption matters. This helps to minimize unnecessary delays when the process is moving from one stage to the other.

Help You Understand the Adoption Process

If it’s your first time adopting a child, you might be clueless about what adoption entails. You might be wondering where to begin the process. But a family lawyer can help you have a deep understanding of the process and make informed decisions.

They educate you on different types of adoption. These include;

  • infant and adult adoption
  • open and closed adoption
  • independent and international adoption
  • foster care and foster-to-adopt
  • stepchild and adult adoption

All these forms of adoption are different and have unique legal requirements.

Once you understand each of them, you can identify the most suitable one for yourself. After that, they’ll guide you through the process depending on the adoption type you select. They’ll keep you updated about the progress and provide thoughtful feedback to your inquiries.

Help Acquire the Necessary Documents

To be eligible for adoption, there are statutory requirements to meet. You must provide various documents to prove you’re a suitable potential parent. You’ll only be allowed to adopt if you’ve met all the requirements.

They may ask you to provide the following key documents;

  • marriage certificate if it’s a joint adoption
  • birth certificates
  • home study documents
  • financial statements
  • mental and physical health documents
  • social and moral history papers

It’s advisable to have all the required documents ready before beginning the adoption process. Some legal papers might take time before being processed. So if not acquired beforehand, they might cause delays.

If you don’t know what documents you need during adoption, you might not have all of them available during the process. This might delay or deny you the opportunity to adopt.

A professional attorney knows the documents needed by law during adoption. They’ll ensure you acquire all of them in good time to avoid delaying the process.

Offer Legal Representation

After completing a home evaluation, the next step involves filing a petition to adopt and going through the court hearing process. This process determines whether you’ll receive approval and finalize the adoption.

Being a critical stage, you need an expert with experience to help you. A good adoption lawyer will help file the petition. They’ll ensure it has no missing information that can impact the process.

Also, they’ll ensure you inform everyone involved with the child legally about the adoption hearing. If any of these people don’t attend the hearing, it might not proceed.

During the hearing, your lawyer will provide you with legal representation. They’ll provide all the necessary facts to ensure you get approval for adoption.

Hire a Family Law Attorney During Child Adoption

Adopting a child can be exciting but not a walk in the park. You must complete many procedures before the adoption becomes successful. However, you can ease the process with an experienced family law attorney.

Are you struggling to find the best lawyer for adoption? At Cook and Tolley, we can help you. We have experienced lawyers who offer professional legal assistance.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Cook & Tolley, LLP
304 E Washington St
Athens, GA 30601
(706) 549-6111
https://www.cooktolley.com/

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Please reach out to us today.