Having an adoption lawyer in Richmond by your side can be critical for dealing with legal issues and helping to simplify the process of adopting a child. Your attorney will be aware of all the rules and procedures that must be followed and will help ensure your adoption goes smoothly.
Whether you are adopting a child or giving up a child for adoption, you must have a thorough understanding of your rights. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we have over 200 years of combined experience helping with every aspect of adoption. Learn how our Richmond family lawyers can help by scheduling a free case review with a Client Services Coordinator today.
Different Types of Adoption Our Richmond Adoption Lawyers Commonly Handle
Adoption comes in many forms, and our experienced legal team will help you through the process no matter which type of adoption you are pursuing. The most common forms of adoption include:
- Foster parent adoption
- Parental placement adoption
- International adoption
- Agency adoption
Foster-Parent Adoption
Foster-parent adoption shares many similarities with agency adoption. The biggest difference in these cases is that the adoptive parents have already had the child in their care for a period of time and a familial relationship has been developed.
While social services and the foster care system aim to try to ultimately reunite as many children with their birth parents as possible, this isn’t always possible. If the relationship between birth parents and children does not improve to the point where reuniting is in the best interest of the child, the parent’s rights can be terminated, and the child can be adopted.
If you have a foster child and are looking to adopt them, an adoption attorney serving Richmond will help ensure you are aware of all the legal requirements and assist you in the adoption process.
Parental Placement Adoption
Parental placement adoption is where the birth parents of the child select the adoptive parents directly. The birth parents can choose a couple or an individual to become the adoptive parent for their child. These cases can be complicated without the consent of both parents.
If the biological father is unidentified or can not be easily located, some rules must be followed to make a good-faith effort to locate and obtain permission from the birth father before the adoption can be finalized. Our adoption attorneys in Richmond will help ensure that all the requirements have been met to minimize the risk of legal challenges to the adoption.
International Adoption
Many people looking to adopt choose to adopt a child from another country. This is a form of agency adoption that involves an organization that is specially licensed to process international adoptions.
International adoptions are the most complicated type of adoption from a legal standpoint. You will not only be dealing with state laws but will also need to comply with all federal laws regarding adoption and the applicable laws of the country from which the child you will be adopting comes.
You will need to deal with immigration law as well as adoption law since the child you are adopting is not an American citizen. Furthermore, after obtaining a foreign adoption order and getting the child a visa to come to the U.S., it is a good idea to re-adopt the child in your home state.
Agency Adoption
With agency adoption, the party seeking to adopt the child or children will go through a licensed agency. The agency may act as an intermediary between the party seeking to adopt and the child’s parents or help prospective adoptive parents adopt a child who was abandoned, abused, or neglected.
The agency will conduct a home review of the adoptive parents to ensure the home will be a safe and healthy place for the child. In most cases, the parental rights of the biological parents will need to be terminated before the adoption can proceed.
The court may issue an interlocutory order granting parental rights to the adoptive parents on a six-month probationary period. In most cases, this order is rescinded after the probationary period ends, and the party can proceed to finalize the adoption. If the order is not repealed, an adoption lawyer serving Richmond will help you deal with any issues.
Cooperation from Both Birth Parents Can Strongly Affect Proceedings
When adopting a child directly or through an agency, having the cooperation of both biological parents can be critical. Without support from both parents, adoption will be incredibly difficult and may prove impossible.
Our team will help protect you against a birth parent changing their mind about giving the child up for adoption. Your lawyer will draw up the paperwork to terminate the parental rights of the birth parents. Additionally, they will help protect you against an unidentified or unknown birth father making a claim of parental rights in the future.
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Legal Requirements in Adoption Proceedings
When going through an adoption, all involved parties will receive counseling regarding alternative options. The court aims to protect everyone involved and ensure nobody is entering into an adoption agreement because they are being coerced or, in any other way, forced into it.
Before an adoption is finalized, a home study of the adopting party will be conducted, and the adopting party must provide various personal information, including:
- An autobiographical statement
- Background checks
- References
- Information about health
- Financial details
Additionally, the law prohibits financial compensation for adoption beyond the reimbursement of certain expenses related to the adoption process.
Our Richmond adoption attorneys have a thorough understanding of all of these legal issues related to adoption and will help ensure that everything is handled in compliance with the law to help make the process as easy as possible.
Get Help from an Experienced Adoption Attorney in Richmond Today
It is essential that you have a thorough understanding of the legal process and your rights if you are attempting to adopt a child or putting a child up for adoption. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we are ready to help you with any type of adoption matter, whether you are a parent giving a child up for adoption or a party looking to adopt a child into your family.
Reach out to us today by phone or through our online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation and check out our client testimonials to better understand the quality of service we provide to our clients.
