Austin Grandparent Adoption Attorney

If you’re a grandparent raising a child without a legal right to guardianship, you might run into roadblocks concerning everything from providing insurance to enrolling in a local school. When you’re providing the care for a grandchild, obtaining legal parental rights through adoption can be a valuable step. Grandparent adoption is an excellent option for situations wherein a parent gives consent for the grandparent to raise the child, or Child Protective Services provides the placement. If you’re currently raising a grandchild in your home and want to proceed with an adoption in Texas, Austin grandparent adoption lawyer Abraham Kant can help.

Laws Regarding Grandparent Adoption in Texas

When grandparents take over care of a grandchild, they are in effect parents: they provide a safe and loving home, they take the child to school and extracurricular activities, they ensure the child goes to the doctor. However, they lack the legal rights that come with guardianship. Having the legal rights and recognition that come with adoption can be hugely beneficial. There are several benefits to adopting a grandchild:

• Take the hassle out of everyday tasks. With full parental rights, you can perform essential tasks such as making medical decisions on a child’s behalf or enrolling a child in school.
• Enjoy the financial benefits. As the child’s legal guardian, it will be easier to put your grandchild on your insurance or claim them as a dependent on your taxes.
• Most importantly, making your relationship official with adoption provides important stability for your grandchild.

The Process of Adoption

In Texas, there is a formal process that dictates an adoption proceeding. Here’s what you can expect when seeking parental rights as a grandparent:

• Filing. All adoption proceedings begin with filing a formal petition in court. An adoption attorney can help you with this process.
• Terminating parental rights. For the adoption to proceed to the next step, the parents must terminate their parental rights. This is often the most difficult step in the process and requires the assistance of an adoption attorney. If the parents do not want to relinquish their legal rights, the courts will hold a hearing and determine what is in the best interest of the child.
• Home study. Assuming the courts terminate parental rights, the adoption continues with a social study. During this step, investigators will look at your home situation and determine your fitness to be a parent.
• Child consent. If the child is over the age of 12, he or she must consent to the adoption.
• Final hearing. In a final court hearing, the adoption will be finalized, and you can enjoy the legal rights and responsibilities of being a parent.

Your Grandparent Adoption Attorney

Although the Texas adoption process can seem relatively straightforward, it requires the assistance of an experienced Austin family law attorney. Abraham Kant has successfully helped grandparents with their adoption needs. He will aggressively defend the best interests of the child, should there be issues with the termination of parental rights and work hard to defend the rights of families. For more information on grandparent adoption or to schedule a free initial consultation with Abraham Kant, please contact us.