Adopting a child can be a wonderful experience. While adoption is not an easy process, the rewards far outweigh the risks. In most of the cases you will require the services of an adoption attorney. Here some top tips for choosing an adoption lawyer.
• Each state has different adoption laws. Check with your state to ensure that adoption through an adoption lawyer is a permissible act. Also make certain that your state allows the adoption attorney to pair expecting mothers with adoptive parents.
• Adoption laws are different in each state. If you are the adopting parent then you need to ensure that the adoption lawyer is licensed to operate in your state. If the mother of the child lives in another state, your adoption lawyer will have to consult with an adoption lawyer in that state.
• You should choose a lawyer who specializes in adoption. Remember that family law is not the same as adoption law. You could look for an adoption lawyer in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (AAAA), American College of Assisted Reproduction and Adoption Lawyers (ACARAL) or the American Bar Association Section on Family Law, Adoption Committee.
• Visit the website of the adoption attorney. If there is a section for expectant parents, read out the information shared and see if the same information is shared in the section for adoptive parents. Check to see of the woman is being coerced or promised more than realistic expectations.
• After you zero in on the adoption lawyer, ask him for his hourly cost and the cost of the paralegal. Also enquire about the average cost of adoptions that they have finalized for the last couple of years.
• You should ask in the beginning if the expectant woman is going to pay for services she received during pregnancy if in case she suddenly changes her mind and decides to mother the child.
• If you have a strong hunch that you will incur high cost and might require quite a bit of hand holding, ask the attorney if he/she handles these kinds of calls. Enquire about their policy for returning phone calls and emails.
• Chances are that you will not only have to pay for the adoption attorney but also an attorney to represent the birth parents as well as a counselor to advise the expectant mother. These will drive up the cost of adoption but are essential services that should not be ignored.
If you are looking for adopting a child, you will need legal help. Search for adoption lawyers, local family law firms, family law attorney in Tarrant county, and family law firms.
This article is penned by Jill Burk for Law To Life. You can contact them on (817) 923-9999.