Adoption

As a family law attorney, one of the true rewards of the job is when I am able to help would-be-parents give a child a forever home.  Being a part of the adoption process is a blessing, whether it is a stepparent devoted to taking on a larger role in a child's life, a relative stepping in when the parents are deceased or no longer able to care for the child, or strangers opening their home and heart to giving a child a forever home.  The principle object of adoption is to promote the welfare of the child.

If you are thinking about creating a legal parental relationship with a child, a lawyer knowledgeable in Alabama adoption laws and case history can provide a significant help in handling the adoption process properly.  Please contact me for a personal consultation about adoption in Alabama. 

 When you wish to adopt a child, especially a stepchild, both parents must agree to the adoption.  Clearly the most amicable adoptions happen when both parents voluntarily agree to give up their legal parental rights.  Some parents are willing to consent because they understand that it is in the child's best interest.  Still other natural parents may agree to terminate their rights as the child's parent in an attempt to avoid child support.  However, termination of parental rights does not release a parent from potential child support obligations. 

 Many parents object to an adoption, because they would be relinquishing all of their parental rights.  Depending upon the child custody agreements, these may include their right to visit the child, make decisions about their child's health, and moral and educational upbringing.  In these cases, you must petition the court to terminate the parental rights through court procedure.  Alabama adoption laws uphold that the non-custodial parent's rights to the child may be involuntarily terminated.  

Again, as in all family law issues involving children, it is paramount to keep the child's best interests as the overriding priority.  A birth parent should not be removed from the life of his or her child, simply because the adults no longer wish to deal with one another any longer.  

As your attorney, it is my job to listen to your concerns so that I can help protect what is most important to you.....your children.  To learn more about adoption in Alabama today, call and schedule a consultation and case evaluation.