One of the most selfless ways to grow a family is by adopting a child into your loving home. Adoption involves a legal process that comes with detailed paperwork, court proceedings, legal requirements, and more that can be incredibly difficult to navigate on your own. While you are not legally required to have a private attorney when adopting a child in Texas, having an adoption attorney by your side can greatly facilitate the process and ensure you and your child’s rights are protected every step of the way. There are many types of adoption in Texas and experienced legal counsel can help you navigate them all, no matter their intricacies or complications.
There are many benefits to having an adoption attorney on your team, including:
Experienced Guidance
Adoption attorneys are exceptionally familiar with the legal process of adoption in Texas and understand the eligibility requirements and legal proceedings involved. An adoption attorney can assist with every part of this complex process and can ensure you take the right steps to qualify for this life-changing experience. There will be many interviews, evaluations, home visits, and more that an attorney can help you get through to ensure you finalize the adoption.
Navigating the Court System
Adoption attorneys have extensive experience in the courtroom and will be able to lead your family through that process. Your adoption attorney will be able to file the formal petition to have the biological parents’ rights terminated – just one of many important steps in the adoption process. They will also be able to advocate for your rights and make sure there are no discrepancies between the adoption agency, jurisdictions, possible parental disputes, and more. Taking care of this on your own may leave your adoption vulnerable and open to dismissal if something has been left out.
Handling the Unique Challenges that May Arise
Adoption, while one of the most beautiful ways of expanding a family, is not the easiest of legal processes. Many legally mandated requirements must be fulfilled for an adoption to be finalized. Complex laws and extensive paperwork further complicate the process. If there are disputes to the adoption, an adoption attorney will be ready to fight them. They can help resolve challenges as they arise and help you prepare for everything that is required for the adoption to be finalized in court.
Family Focused
Establishing a legal parent-child relationship is the most important part of the adoption process, and your adoption attorney will ensure that happens smoothly. There may be legal challenges, but your family will always come first. Adoption attorneys take the time to understand your personal situation, needs, and family goals and will advocate on your behalf throughout the process.
Partners with Adoption Agencies
Your chosen adoption attorney will be able to partner with an adoption agency and/or other adoption professional to help you add to your family. They will be able to find experts who can support your adoption through a variety of resources.
All Types of Adoptions Are Welcome
Adoption attorneys have experience with all different types of adoption scenarios in Texas. All adoptions are unique, but the following are the most common and our firm handles them all:
- Private adoption: When you adopt a child through private or independent adoption, this generally involves a birth mother who is willing to place her child up for adoption and parents who are willing to adopt that child and bring them into their home permanently.
- Stepparent Adoption: In this scenario, a stepparent chooses to become the legal, official parent of their stepchild. This is one of the most common types of adoption in Texas.
- Relative Adoption: When a member of the family formally adopts their nephew, niece, grandchild, or other relative as their own child, this is often called a “relative adoption.” This can happen when the child’s parents are tragically killed, are found to be unfit as parents and lose custody, are incarcerated, or in multiple other situations.
- Same-Sex Couple Adoption: Adoption attorneys can help same-sex couples with surrogacy contracts and the complex adoption process for non-biological parents.
- Special Needs Adoption: When a family chooses to adopt a child with special needs, there is an entirely separate set of requirements that the family must follow. Working with an adoption attorney can ensure all requirements are met. The child must be at least six years old and have a verified physical, mental, or emotional disabling condition established by a qualified professional. These types of adoptions require extreme attention to detail that an adoption attorney will be able to provide.
Consulting with an adoption attorney before starting the adoption process is the best way to determine what type of adoption method to pursue and to ensure you comply with all Texas state laws.
Brazoria County Adoption Attorneys
Our experienced team of Texas family law attorneys will ensure all steps of the adoption process are handled according to the law, and will prevent your child’s adoption from being declared invalid. Our goal is to help families add a child to their loving home. Contact Terry & Roberts today to schedule a confidential consultation with a seasoned, knowledgeable Brazoria County adoption attorney. We will help you every step of the way toward building the family of your dreams.