Adoption
Making a family official
When a stepparent or grandparent already does a parent’s work, adoption puts it on paper. It helps with school forms, medical decisions and inheritance, and it gives a child the security of a legal family.
Most adoptions like this end in a short, happy hearing. The work is in the paperwork before it, and we do that with you.
We can help you with
Stepparent adoption, with a birth parent’s consent
Grandparent and relative adoption
Consent forms and the hearing
When a birth parent can’t be found or doesn’t respond
Who has to say yes
The people who weigh in on an adoption
The child
Older children are asked what they want. A judge takes their answer seriously.
Birth parents
A parent’s written consent is the simplest route. If one can’t be found or won’t respond, there are other steps.
The judge
A judge decides whether the adoption is in the child’s best interest, usually at a short hearing.
Questions from adoptive families
Do we need a home study?
Stepparent and relative adoptions often involve a shorter review than adopting a stranger. We’ll explain what applies in your case.
What changes for the child?
The adopting parent becomes the child’s legal parent, with the same rights and duties as a birth parent. A new birth certificate can follow.
What if the other birth parent objects?
A judge can sometimes approve an adoption without consent, but only on specific grounds. It’s a harder case, and we’ll be honest about the odds.
Ready to make it official?
Tell us who is in your family. We’ll tell you what the first form is.