Adoption can bring so much joy to a family and help children find families who will love them forever. The state of Texas completes the most adoptions of any state each year, which is great news for those looking to adopt. While adoption is a source of joy and celebration, it’s also a careful, deliberately cautious legal process that requires the thoughtful guidance of an experienced family law attorney. Due to the involvement of innocent children, there are a large amount of rules and regulations in place in the state of Texas to ensure everyone involved is safe and capable. If you or a loved one are looking to adopt in Texas, contact Austin adoption lawyer Abraham Kant Esquire to help guide you through the process to ensure a secure adoption.
In Texas, you can legally adopt a child if you meet the following requirements:
To learn more about same-sex couples and LGBTQ couples adoption, visit our Austin same-sex couples adoption lawyer page.
There are several different avenues couples may choose when beginning the adoption process:
The adoption process can be lengthy and complex, but it follows a relatively simple set of procedures. Here’s what you can expect:
With the help of a family law attorney, you’ll file a petition to adopt in family court. Your layer will draft the petition and file it with the applicable court system.
If you’re trying to adopt a stepchild or grandchild, you may need to obtain a termination of parental rights from the biological parent before an adoption can take effect. On the other hand, if you’re adopting from an agency or other organization, the biological parents have often already terminated their parental rights.
Once the biological parents have revoked their parental rights, the petition moves forward and the courts will order a home or social study. This process includes interviews, home visits, and even evaluation of your work environment. The point of this study is to determine your fitness as a prospective parent.
Finally, the courts typically hire a non-biased third party (an attorney) to review the results of the home study and determine if the adoption is in the best interest of the child. The attorney drafts an opinion and forwards it to the court with a final recommendation for or against adoption.
While the process sounds complicated and even stressful, the end result is often a new family member. If you are considering a Texas adoption, it’s essential to have a legal advocate who will help you navigate the process and make it as simple as possible. Abraham Kant Esquire has been helping Texas families complete adoptions for years. For a free initial consultation, please contact us.