Families considering adoption of a child, or an adult individual seeking to adopt an adult in Texas orArizona have several options, each encompassing complex legal statutes. As such, it is essential to work with a qualified family law attorney or adoption lawyer who knows the law and who can protect your legal and parental rights.
Agency Adoptions
Agency adoptions are handled through an adoption agency. Usually, through this type of adoption, the agency provides a connection between a parent wanting to adopt a child and the child who is up for adoption. These agencies provide oversight and monitoring of the process, as stipulated by the licensing that they hold through the state; they hire their own attorney to prepare paperwork, and they are paid for their services. Since the agency handles a large number of adoptions annually, many hopeful would-be parents may not feel the need to seek out independent legal counsel in the process. However, this can be a costly mistake. You must remember that the agency acts as a separate legal entity and mustprotect its own interests. Therefore, you should consult with a family law lawyer who specializes in adoptions in order to ensure that your interests are protected.
Independent Adoptions – Child and Adult
Independent adoptions, including adult adoptions, are generally handled through family law attorneys who specialize in adoptions. The adoption process can be quite complex and these family law lawyers make sure that they represent the individual parties to the adoption including looking out for the best interest of the child(ren) being adopted or the adult being adopted. As such these attorneys are bound by state mandate to adhere to standard adoptive practices.
Adoption Through Facilitators
Facilitators are individuals who are neither licensed as an adoption agency nor as an adoption attorney. They simply bring together the parties interested in adoption, and in most cases they step aside allowing each party to obtainhis/her own counsel. Often, these individuals are doctors, ministers, priests, rabbis or family members who have personal knowledge of an interested party or a child needing adoption, and in most cases these positions are unpaid. Because there is little state mandate or oversight over this type of intervention of adoption, it is vital for each party involved, whether adopting the child(ren) or terminating the rights of a biological parent to achild(ren), to consult with the best family law attorney in order to ensure that the process goes smoothly and to ensure that all legal requirements are met.
Additional Considerations
Finally, those seeking adoption of a child must decide if the adoption will be considered “open” or “closed.” With an open adoption, information can be shared to the child and parentsabout the parties involved. This may include information about the birth or adoptive parents, and can include photos or medical history. By contrast, a closed adoption provides no information whatsoever in the exchange.
The law offices of Goldstein & Scopellite, PC, have been handling legal adoptions and protecting the legal rights of parent since the year 2002.
Goldstein & Scopellite, PC has law offices in the Dallas, Texas and DFW metroplex as well as in Arizona. For more information, see the Goldstein & Scopellite, PC local listing in D Magazine.
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