Indianapolis Adoption Lawyers Helping Families

Welcoming a child into your home should be a joyous occasion. It can also be a time of great stress riddled with hard-to-answer questions. With something so big, where do you even start the process? Many couples turn to an experienced adoption lawyer to help answer their questions and to receive the guidance they need on this important matter. From the initial paperwork to ensuring proper processing, adoption attorneys help clients from start to finish during this often-challenging time.

Call The Law Office of Deidra N. Haynes today at 317-982-7396 for answers to your adoption questions.

What is an Adoption Lawyer?

An adoption lawyer is a family law lawyer who primarily takes cases related to adoption. While the lawyer is capable of practicing all areas of family law, such as divorce, child support, or alimony, they choose to focus on adoption cases. If a client already has a family lawyer, they may be able to use them for the adoption process, or the client may prefer a family law lawyer solely focused on adoption cases. It is important to remember that any family law lawyer will be well-versed in the process of adoption since it falls under the umbrella of family practice.

What Does an Adoption Attorney Do?

An adoption attorney will serve as a client’s guide and representative through the legal adoption process of adopting a child. They may serve as a client’s first point of contact in the process. This means the adoption attorney will work with the couple or individual looking to adopt to find an adoption agency and then serve as the liaison between the adopter and the agency to ensure all legal requirements are in place. While many people choose to use an adoption agency to find a child and go through the process of adoption, there are also situations where adoption occurs outside of an agency, which is often called private adoption. Whether working with an agency or independently to adopt, an adoption attorney serves clients in a variety of ways. Here are a few common ways adoption lawyers assist clients during an adoption case:

Finding an adoption agency and serving as a liaison
Answering any legal questions clients may have throughout the process
Preparing paperwork and forms
Offering legal counsel and ensuring clients meet all requirements
Ensuring the adoption proceedings follow current local, state, and federal adoption laws
Attending court hearings to represent clients and their interests
Dealing with any disputes or legal conflicts that may occur during an adoption case

What Are the Different Types of Adoption?

There is more than one way to bring a non-biological child into a family, and an experienced adoption lawyer will be familiar with all of the different types of adoption. Each type may carry its own state, federal, or international adoption laws, which is why having an experienced adoption attorney is so important for most adopters. An adoption case may also contain more than one type, such as a domestic adoption that is also contested.

Private Adoptions

A private adoption occurs when a birth parent voluntarily allows someone else to adopt their child, typically without the use of an agency. This could occur in a few different ways, such as a pregnant birth mother choosing the couple to adopt her child, a biological mother choosing to let someone she knows adopt her child (usually due to terminal illness or other inabilities to care for the child), or other unique situations.

Interstate Adoptions

An interstate adoption is when a resident of one state adopts a child from another state. There may be special considerations in terms of varying state laws between the state of residence and the adoption state.

Contested Adoptions

One of the more complex adoption cases, contested adoptions happen when someone with a legal right or interest objects to the child being put up for adoption. The most common example would be a birth mother giving a child up for adoption but the birth father contesting the adoption.

Domestic Adoptions

Domestic adoption is when a person or couple in the United States adopts a child who lives in the United States.

Foreign Adoptions

Foreign adoption is when a person or couple in the United States adopts a child from a country outside of the United States.

Foster Care Adoptions

Foster care adoption cases happen when a child under the care of the state through foster care is adopted. This type of adoption requires biological parental rights to be terminated either voluntarily or through a court order.

Family Adoptions

When a biological parent passes away or is simply unable to care for their child for whatever reason, they may opt for family adoption. This is when a birth parent allows a family member (sibling, parent, etc.) to legally adopt the child.

Can You Legally Adopt Without a Lawyer?

In standard cases, prospective new parents are not required by law to have an adoption lawyer in order to successfully and legally adopt a child. However, the process can be complex, and emotions may run high, especially for first-time adopters. An experienced adoption attorney gives parents the peace of mind they need to navigate the legal aspects of the journey. A lawyer may also be invaluable in certain cases, such as a contested adoption, where going to court over the adoption will be a likely occurrence. Whether the adoption is contested, domestic, foreign, or a family case, having a lawyer there to answer questions, guide you through the process, and assist in legal matters can make a huge difference. In the end, every adoptive parent wants to ensure they achieve full legal rights over their adoptive child, and an adoption lawyer may be capable of making that process less stressful for all involved.

Your Adoption Lawyer Is Here to Help

Adopting a child is an act of love to be celebrated. We understand the delicate ins and outs of adoption cases and serve clients throughout the entire legal process. Find out how we may be able to help you in your adoption journey today by calling The Law Office of Deidra N. Haynes in Indianapolis at 317-982-7396.