Collierville Adoptions Lawyer Helps You Build Your Family

Experienced guidance with various types of adoptions in Tennessee

Adoption is a way to grow a loving family. Though adoption can simple and straightforward, it can also be prone to frustrating delays and setbacks, and dealing with public and private agencies can be challenging. Having a knowledgeable adoption attorney on your side can help expedite and smooth the process. When you are ready to become an adoptive parent in Tennessee, The Collierville Law Firm is ready to provide the experienced and trustworthy legal counsel you need. 

Understanding the many types of adoptions

Adoptions can occur in various ways and involve multiple parties. Here is a breakdown:

• Agency adoptions — Private agencies facilitate adoptions and provide comprehensive services including screening and matching of adoptive families and offering post-adoption support.
• Private adoptions — The adoptive parents and birth parents can work directly with each other, often facilitated by an attorney or adoption professional. This type of adoption offers more flexibility and control over the adoption process for both parties. 
• Stepparent adoptions — One spouse may wish to adopt the other spouse’s biological or legal child in order to strengthen family bonds and provide the child with certain rights. The consent of the other biological parent is required unless parental rights have been terminated.
• Relative adoptions — Also known as kinship adoptions, these occur when a family member (such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle or sibling) adopts a child given up by its biological parent. 

Note that an adoption is classified as either domestic, when both the adoptive parents and the child are in the same country, or international, when U.S. citizens or residents adopt a child from another country. The latter requires adherence to the adoption laws of the child’s country of origin and of the state in the U.S. where the adoptive parents live. There are also immigration and visa procedures to be followed.

Tennessee adoption laws you must know and follow

To ensure that your adoption is legal and irrevocable, you must observe these requirements:

• Eligibility — You must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of Tennessee for at least six consecutive months. 
• Consent — You must obtain both birth parents’ consent to the adoption, unless a court has terminated their rights. Birth parents must execute consent in the presence of a judge and can revoke consent within 10 days by appearing before the same judge. A birth father unsupportive of the adoption can establish and protect his parental rights.

As your adoption counsel, we ensure full compliance with all applicable laws.

The adoption process

In Tennessee, an adoption must go through five major steps:

• Home study — The Department of Children’s Services assigns a licensed professional to visit your home in order to learn about your ability and suitability as a parent. This includes an examination of financial records and inspection of the residence for safety. 
• KEY training —Tennessee requires you to complete a course in parenting, known as KEY (Knowledge Empowers You), which emphasizes issues and concerns that adopted children and their new families commonly face. 
• Placement — There are several ways to be matched with a child. You can contract with a private agency, work within the foster care system or inquire with an international adoption agency. 
• Post-placement home studies — After the child has been placed in your home, a licensed social worker will pay you a series of visits to check on the child’s health and well-being.
• Finalization hearing — The adoptive parents appear in court to satisfy the judge as to their legal qualifications and good intentions. 

Upon completion of this process, the judge issues a final decree of adoption, granting you legal parental rights over the child.

Contact a family law attorney for guardianships in Collierville

The Collierville Law Firm provides knowledgeable counsel for clients in western Tennessee who are considering adoptions. To schedule a consultation, contact us online or call 901-614-0318.