Lisa Paige Glass is an adoption lawyer in Boca Raton, Florida who matches expectant birth mothers with individuals or couples looking to adopt. Lisa is passionate about the adoption process and cares about the families she works with. If you are seeking a knowledgeable and compassionate lawyer with years of experience, the legal team at Glass Law Office will provide you with guided assistance to make the right decisions for your future and your family.

Expectant Mothers Expectations

• You have the right to privacy and confidentiality.
• The medical expenses associated with your pregnancy and the birth are 100% covered.
• You can receive additional financial support with your housing and living expenses during your pregnancy and after the
  birth as you get back on your feet.
• You can receive free counseling and support.
• In a typical, uncontested adoption, you do not have to go to court.
• Our adoption attorney, Lisa Paige Glass, is available to you 24/7.
• Our waiting families are thoroughly and professionally screened.
• You can meet a loving family who will love and cherish your child as their own.
• You can receive photos and updates from the adoptive family if you choose.
• The baby will go directly to the adoptive family.
• The baby will not go to foster care.
• Adoptive Parent Expectations
• Assistance creating your portfolio for prospective birth mothers to learn about you.
• Preparation for your home study, which includes criminal, medical, psychological, educational, and financial screenings
• Guidance throughout the adoption process, through to the finalization.
• You will take the baby directly home with you when released from the hospital.

Adoption Laws in Florida

Adoption laws and policies are set by each state and can vary greatly from one state to another. This is why it is important to find a lawyer to work within the state where you are looking to adopt. Lisa Paige Glass is a Florida attorney who has been working in the field of adoption law for many years. She is exceptionally knowledgeable about Florida adoption laws and policies.

In most uncontested cases, the birth parents do not have to go to court; all they have to do is complete some legal paperwork. In addition to handling matching and placement, Lisa will also draw up and explain all of the necessary paperwork for each adoption.

Who Can Adopt

In the state of Florida, both married couples and single adults are eligible to adopt. A home study by a social worker must be completed before you are able to be matched for an adoption. Following a successful evaluation, it is just a matter of finding a good fit between you and a birth mother. Lisa prides herself on being able to create matches with which all parties are more than satisfied.

Same-Sex Couples and Adoption

Prior to 2010, same-sex couples were not allowed to adopt in Florida. However, since then, multiple laws have changed, first at the state level and then at the federal level. In 2015, the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, legalized same-sex marriage. As a result, same-sex couples are now legally able to adopt as a couple.

Before same-sex marriage was legalized, same-sex couples looking to adopt utilized a process called second-parent adoption. Essentially, one parent adopts the child as an individual and the second parent completes a second parent adoption, where they get legal rights as a parent over the child without stripping the rights of the initial parent. This type of adoption is more costly and time-consuming because two adoption cases need to be initiated in the court rather than one adoption case, and the second one cannot be initiated until the first one is completed.

Now that same-sex marriage has been legalized, a married same-sex couple can complete a step-parent adoption if one of the parents is biologically related to the child. This is common in cases where a lesbian couple has a child that one of the women gives birth to and the other woman files for step-parent adoption. In a traditional surrogacy arrangement (where the surrogate is using her own egg and is therefore biologically related to the child), step-parent adoption is used with gay couples where one man provides the sperm and a surrogate gives birth to the child. This type of adoption is recommended even if both parents are listed on the birth certificate.

Private Adoption vs. Public Agency Adoption

Adoption can be completed through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or through a private adoption attorney or agency. With private adoption, an attorney will work with both the birth mothers and adoptive parents to find a match that best meets the needs and wants of both. Public agency adoptions often mean that the child is in foster care prior to being adopted. With private adoption, we can ensure that they baby goes straight home from the hospital with the adoptive parents and never goes into foster care. Through private adoption, your adoption lawyer or agency representative can work to find a match in terms of the level of communication desired between the birth mother and child/adoptive parents following the adoption.

Why Do I Need An Adoption Attorney?

With all of the technology that exists in today’s age, why do you need to hire an adoption attorney to find a child to adopt? Why not just advertise on all of the social networking sites? The answer is that, except for an adoption entity (meaning an attorney or agency), advertising to find a birth mother is unlawful in the state of Florida. See § 63.212(1)(g), Fla. Stat. Hiring a private attorney or agency is the legal way to find and adopt a baby via private adoption. It is also recommended to go through an adoption lawyer because an adoption lawyer will screen both parties to find a strong match. Even if a birth mother and adoptive family find each other on their own, it is highly recommended to engage an attorney to complete and file the adoption paperwork to ensure that everything is done properly.

If you are looking to adopt in the state of Florida, or you are looking to find a family to adopt your unborn child, hire an adoption lawyer who cares. Contact Glass Law Office, and attorney Lisa Paige Glass will be happy to meet and talk with you. Give her office a call at (561) 614-6060.