Adoption is more than the process of establishing a new home for a child and creating a legal parent-child relationship — it’s the creation of family. While every adoption varies in procedure and complexity, the most important factors to consider at all times are the best interests and well-being of the child.
At Isaac Wiles, we are honored to help families grow through legal adoption. We represent both prospective adoptive parents and birth parents in private attorney adoptions, step-parent/relative adoptions, foster parent adoptions, and private agency adoptions. Through each family’s adoption journey, we prioritize the best interest of the child and use our knowledge and resources to meet the necessary legal requirements for adoption.
Persistence makes progress
The adoption process can be long, complicated and mentally taxing on every person involved. We understand adoption is a personal, life-changing decision with emotional peaks and valleys. Our Family Law attorneys are deeply experienced and well-prepared to accept the challenge of managing all legal processes, paperwork and court dates to ensure a smooth and efficient adoption. We carry the weight of the details for our clients so they can focus on preparing for life once the adoption is finalized.
The adoption process
Every adoption process begins with a home study, which is completed by the prospective adopting parent(s). It includes a criminal background check, a home visit, financial information, a physician letter stating that the adopting parent(s) are in good health, and five letters of recommendation from family members and/or friends. The adoption is finalized in one of three possible counties: the county where the adopting parent(s) reside, the county where the child is born, or the county where the birth parent(s) reside.
After a match occurs between the adopting parent(s) and the birth parent(s) — and after the birth parent(s) terminate their rights — the adopting parent(s) can file a petition for adoption with the probate court. The child must be in his or her new home for at least six months before the adoption can be finalized; consequently, the final adoption hearing is scheduled six months from the date the child is placed. Finally, a new birth certificate is issued listing the adopting parent(s) as the child's parent(s).
