Missouri City Adoption Lawyer
While adoption can be an exciting and fulfilling way to grow your family, this process can be quite stressful, and you may come across several obstacles before becoming the legal parents of a child. The attorneys at Angela Faye Brown & Associates are excited to help individuals become parents through the adoption process.
Our caring Missouri City adoption lawyers could guide your family through this process and work hard to make this system work for you. Our attorneys are dedicated to the health and well-being of children and parents looking to provide a safe and loving home to one.
What To Expect From The Adoption Process In Missouri City
The adoption process can be long and drawn out. Therefore, before starting this journey a couple or individual looking to adopt should know what to expect out of this process. Firstly, anyone wishing to adopt a child in this state must be at least 21 years old and must be able to prove that they are financially able to support a child.
Once an adopting couple begins the process they should expect the requirement to provide references, complete a home study, and agree to a background check. Additionally, they should expect to answer many questions about their background and lifestyle. One of our compassionate attorneys in Missouri City could help a couple or an individual prepare for the adoption process and collect any important documentation that they may be expected to provide.
Types Of Adoptions
There are several ways of adopting a child that someone may choose to pursue based on their specific situation. Our Missouri City lawyers have experience helping couples and individuals with many types of adoptions.
Private Adoptions
In a private adoption, the birth parents may decide who they want to adopt their child. The adopting parents may also choose the mother in some circumstances. While the birth mother and adoptive parents are both willing participants in these arrangements, both should have legal representation. One benefit of private adoption is that the child does not have to live in foster care or an unstable environment.
Stepparents Adopting Their Stepchild
Stepparents may play an important role in a child’s life long before they decide to formally adopt them. However, some problems can still occur in these arrangements. If one of the child’s biological parents opposes the adoption, it may not be possible to complete. An attorney could help a family understand how this form of adoption may work in their case.
International Adoption
International adoption typically involves various complications and different types of law. For instance, immigration law could also impact the ability to adopt and bring the child into the United States.
Adopting A Child In Foster Care
Adopting a child through the foster care system often means that the courts terminated the rights of their biological parents. Some families foster a child with the hope of later adopting.
What Is The Difference Between Open And Closed Adoptions?
The amount of interaction between the adoptive and the biological parents before and after the adoption is typically determined by the wishes of either party. In some situations, biological and adoptive parents may only interact in a limited capacity for the adoption and then part ways. In other situations, this is not the case. A closed adoption does not involve much communication between the adoptive and the birth parents either before or after the adoption. Some families prefer the privacy afforded by this arrangement.
Other families engage in an open adoption which involves sharing information and staying in contact. In these situations, the adopting families can set the terms of future communications in an agreement to ensure that they are comfortable with the level of the birth parents’ involvement.
Open adoptions can benefit the children involved but may create an uncomfortable situation if the relationship becomes contentious. As these arrangements have become more common, some birth mothers are more likely to push for such an arrangement. A Missouri City attorney could review all of the implications of an adoption agreement and determine which options might be in the best interests of the child.
Hire A Missouri City Adoption Attorney
While adopting a child can be an exciting experience, it can also become challenging for prospective parents. The technical requirements, home visits, court hearings and contracts may become intimidating.
If you and your family are in the process of adopting a child, an attorney could improve the chances of this process running smoothly. Contact a Missouri City adoption lawyer from our firm today to learn more about your options. Call us in Houston at 713-714-3710 or in Austin at 512-572-1207.