Gwinnett County Adoption Lawyer

The decision to adopt is an extremely important and life-changing decision. As such, anyone considering adoption probably has a lot of questions about how to adopt, related legal issues, and the court processes involved in adoption. A Gwinnett County adoption lawyer may be able to help you navigate the complex laws surrounding adoption.

Some people choose to adopt because they cannot have biological children of their own. Other people may have children of their own but wish to provide a loving home for children without families or for children with special needs. No matter what your reason to adopt, it is a good idea to consult a qualified family attorney from our team.

Agency Adoptions

Adoption agencies are licensed to facilitate the adoption of children and are usually experienced in matching children and families. Adoption agencies may be either private or public entities.

Private adoption agencies typically provide extensive counseling for adoptive parents, children, and biological parents. As a result, though, their services can be expensive, and they are often choosy when selecting adoptive parents.

Public adoption agencies typically have many children available for adoption and are usually much less expensive than a private agency. Usually, the children available for adoption through a public agency are older, have lived in foster families, or have special needs.

What is Independent Adoption?

In an independent adoption, prospective adoptive parents and birth parents work together throughout the adoption process. Independent adoption allows the child’s birth parents and the adoptive parents to meet and discuss the specific details of the adoption in private.

Birth parents may feel better knowing who will adopt their child and often have a voice in choosing an adoptive family. Likewise, adoptive parents may feel more confident that the birth parent will follow through with the adoption and may even form a relationship with the birth parents. A Gwinnett County adoption attorney may be able to help you decide if an independent adoption is right for you.

International Adoptions

International adoptions can be more complex than other types of adoption because the laws of both the United States and the foreign country from which adoption is sought apply. International adoptions can sometimes be cheaper and quicker than other types of adoption, but many have their own set of unique issues.

Many foreign adoption agencies do not have the same regulations as U.S. agencies and may not give adoptive parents all the relevant information about their adoptive child. In addition, international adoption often involves cultural and language barriers that can be difficult for the adoptive parents and the child to manage at first.

Step-Parent Adoptions

Stepparent adoptions may be easier then other types of adoption if both birth parent consent. The most common legal hurdle faced in stepparent adoptions occurs when one birth parent does not want to consent to the adoption.

Consent is not required if the birth parent had their rights terminated due to abandonment, neglect, unfitness, or any other such reason. However, a birth parent may not wish to consent to an adoption because it means giving up all parental rights they do have. It may be best to speak with an adoption lawyer in Gwinnett County about how best to handle this delicate situation.

Same-Sex Couples Adoption

Same-sex couples often wish to raise a family just as any other couple does, but they may face their own set of challenges in the adoption process. Same-sex adoption is legal in all 50 states, but some social workers and birth parents still have reservations when considering same-sex couples as adoptive parents. Dedicated legal counsel may be able to help you navigate the unique circumstances surrounding same-sex couple adoption.

What Are the Risk Factors of Adopting a Child in Gwinnett County?

Birthparents in Gwinnett County have four days after surrendering their parental rights to revoke the placement of their child for adoption. Other states don’t have the same revocation period as Georgia. Some states have a shorter waiting period than us.

In others, adoption is not revocable as soon as a parent signs their parental rights away, so that is something to consider when you are researching what agency you want to work with. It’s possible that you’ll want to work with an agency in a different state that has a shorter period of time for that revocation period.

Sometimes, a birthmother chooses to place the child for adoption and refuses to name the biological father or doesn’t know who the biological father is. In these cases, the biological father may come out of the woodwork after she has surrendered the child for adoption, claiming that he didn’t even know she was pregnant and that he wants to parent. The father may contest it, and then the adoptive parents have to decide, “Are we going to fight this? Do we hire an attorney?”

Contacting a Gwinnett County Adoption Attorney

No matter what type of adoption you are considering, an adoption attorney from our firm may be able to help. Contact a Gwinnett County adoption lawyer today to discuss your adoption situation and find out what knowledgeable legal representation could do for you.