Top 10 Tips for Choosing an Adoption Attorney
Adoption is a great alternative for parents looking to create a family. Parents can pursue adoption in many ways—through a public agency, private agency, or attorney; and domestically or internationally. Regardless of what you choose, having an adoption attorney knowledgeable in the legal requirements to assist you throughout the process will make the adoption process operate more smoothly and be less stressful for all involved.
Domestic adoption is where the child and the prospective adoptive parents are in the same country. A domestic adoption can be either interstate (where the child and the prospective adoptive parents are in different states) or intrastate (where the child and the prospective adoptive parents are in the same state). International adoption is where the child and the prospective adoptive parents are in different countries. State law governs domestic and international adoptions. Additionally, with international adoptions, international laws and laws of the foreign country may also impact the adoption. It is also important to remember that, with international adoptions, an adoption does not automatically confer citizenship. The prospective adoptive parents need to consult with an immigration attorney, who will often work in conjunction with the adoption attorney, to ensure the desired result.
A public agency typically handles domestic adoptions of children who enter the foster care system whose biological parents have had their parental rights terminated. Both an attorney and a private agency can handle domestic or international adoptions of children whose biological parents choose to privately place them for adoption. An attorney can handle adoptions by virtue of being a licensed attorney. An agency (both public and private) must obtain a state license to operate as a child-placing agency in order to handle adoptions. With private adoption, the birth parents and prospective adoptive parents work directly with the attorney or private agency without the involvement of the state. The cost of adopting through a public agency is typically minimal, as many of the costs are borne by the state. By contrast, adopting through an attorney or private agency can be more expensive.
Regardless of whether you adopt through an agency or an attorney, adoption in Florida is a two-step process. First is the termination of parental rights, where the birth parents’ parental rights are terminated, and the agency, attorney, or prospective adoptive parents become the legal guardian of the child until the adoption is finalized. Second is the finalization of the adoption, in which the agency or attorney consents to the adoption of the child by the prospective adoptive parents, and the court confers parental rights to the child upon the adoptive parents.
Choosing an Adoption Attorney:
Selecting the right adoption attorney is crucial to ensuring that your adoption experience runs smoothly.Here are some tips for choosing an adoption attorney.
-Choose an adoption attorney with an excellent reputation, whom you trust, and with whom you feel comfortable
-Start your selection process early, and don’t be afraid to interview more than one attorney until you find the attorney with whom you are most comfortable
-Find a lawyer who is experienced with the type of adoption you desire to pursue (for example, domestic versus international; foster care versus private)
-Find out the fees and costs associated with the adoption and what services will be performed in exchange for the fees
-Find out how many families the attorney typically works with and how much time and energy will be dedicated to your case
-Find out if the lawyer can refer you to a professional knowledgeable about what tax credits may apply for your particular adoption
-Ask what types of terms and parameters are typically contained in an adoption contract
-Find out the level of experience the attorney has practicing adoption law
-Ask about the attorney’s process for matching birth parents with prospective adoptive families, including the type of information and photos that are usually provided or exchanged
-Share any and all concerns with the attorney regarding the adoption process, meeting the qualifications to adopt, and anything else adoption-related
At Glass Law Office, we make selecting the right adoption attorney easy. Lisa Paige Glass is an experienced, knowledgeable, and caring adoption attorney who will guide you through the process from start to finish, and who takes pride in helping create families through adoption. To schedule a consultation, please give us a call at (561) 614-6060.