Adopting is a life-changing experience both for parent and child. It should be a source of great joy for all involved; however, this is not always the case.
There are some instances in which they can be disrupted, resulting in a failed adoption. The best way to mitigate the risk that adoptions can pose is to work with a Worthington adoption attorney.
The Obenour Legal Group’s adoption attorney in Worthington, Ohio can provide the necessary guidance for those trying to adopt. Our adoption lawyer in Worthington, Ohio can walk your family through each step of the process.
For those interested in adopting, we will share some of the basics to know before beginning.
Types of Adoption
In the United States, a few different types of adoption exist. It’s important that you familiarize yourself with each to decide which adoption variation best suits your family.
- Agency Adoptions — These are adoptions that occur after a public or private child placing agency has custody of a child. Families can adopt a child directly from the agency, and it is important for prospective adoptive parents to have competent counsel early in the process. The trend in these adoptions is for openness between birthparents and extended first families and the adopting families. In the case of private agency adoptions, birthmothers almost always select the family they want to adopt their child. Agency adoptions can happen across state lines, and your family will need a competent interstate adoption attorney to guide you through that additional complexity.
- Private Infant Placement Adoptions — In contrast to agency adoptions, private infant placement adoptions occur when the placing family and the adopting family find each other without the intervention of an agency. A competent adoption attorney is required to arrange this type of adoption. Often this type of adoption occurs across state lines, and the right counsel can help you navigate the complicated interstate adoption process with the most efficient option for your family.
- Stepparent Adoptions — A self-explanatory adoption variation, the stepparent adoption takes place following a marriage. The stepparent becomes the legal parent and becomes fully responsible for his or her spouse’s child. After the stepparent adoption occurs, the noncustodial parent (the parent not living with the child) no longer has any for the child, including child support.
- Adoptions from Legal Custody – a non-parent who obtains a legal custody order for a child from an Ohio juvenile may also be able to adopt that child. If you are caring for a relative’s child with the assistance of a child protection agency, and you think you may want to someday adopt that child, it is very important to seek an attorney who is competent in both juvenile and adoption law, who can help you put those pieces together.
- LBGT Adoption — Married same-sex couples with children have additional steps to complete to ensure that both spouses are legal parents in Ohio. If had children before you were married, you might need to go through the stepparent adoption process in the Probate Court to create legal parental rights for both parents. If you had children using assisted reproductive technology, you may still need to do an adoption to ensure that both parents are, in the eyes of the law, full legal parents to your children. At Obenour Legal Group we can provide you with the relevant information your family needs to sort out who has what rights, and what you need to do to ensure BOTH parents have the same rights to their children.
Contact Us
At the Obenour Legal Group, your family works directly with family law attorney Abbie Obenour throughout your case. We build relationships because we want to be your trusted advisor for current and future legal matters.
Our Worthington Ohio practice is devoted to providing clarity in the legal areas of adoption, surrogacy, divorce, estate planning, probate, elder law, and more. Our firm is one of a handful that focuses on the unique issues that affect unmarried couples and LGBT families.
Many families will require legal assistance at some point in their lives. Fertility issues may lead a family to consider adoption or surrogacy. Administering the estate of a deceased loved one can complicate an already difficult time. Even routine legal issues for LGBT couples are often complicated because the law rapidly changes.