An Adoption Lawyer in Oahu Helps Parents Through the Adoptive Process

U.S. adoption laws give parents a way to assume the legal responsibilities and rights of raising children. After a successful adoption, all ties between birth parents and the child are severed permanently, and the adoptive family is equal to a natural family according to the law. Parents should visit this website to find out how a lawyer can help caseworkers, judges, and potential parents work together to create a loving, safe home.

Parental Rights Termination

Before an adoption can be finalized, the birth parents’ rights must to be terminated. The process allows the adoptive parents to assume those same legal rights, and it keeps birth parents from trying to exert control over the child later in his or her life. In some cases, birth parents relinquish rights voluntarily, but, in other cases, termination can be difficult for families and their attorneys to handle.

Evidence offered at termination hearings proves the birth parents’ disinterest in the child’s well-being, failure to support the child, and any parental history of drug use or violence. Every case is unique, and an adoption lawyer in Oahu can help parents decide what type of evidence to use in their cases.

Open and Closed Adoptions

Those considering adopting a child often wonder if the birth parents will be able to contact the child once the process is finalized. In open adoptions, new parents allow children to have contact with biological parents and other people from their old lives. In closed adoptions, no contact is permitted. The issue is typically settled well ahead of time, especially in adoptions completed through agencies.
Stepparent Adoptions

Marriages involving children are more than just a union between two adults. When a spouse has children from another relationship, the marriage builds a new family. However, laws do not treat stepparent relationships the same as the bond between natural parent and child. Stepparent adoptions solve these issues and offer advantages to the family.

Hiring An Adoption Attorney

If a parent is considering expanding the family through adoption, hiring an attorney can simplify the process. Retaining legal counsel is vital if a family expects non-cooperation from a birth parent whose rights are to be terminated. For legal advice that is case-specific, parents should consult Greg Ryan & Associates Oahu.