Adoption Attorney Dallas
Adoption Attorney Dallas
Nancy Ridgway – an Adoption Attorney with Compassion – Dallas, TX
Adoptions require an attorney who can guide you through the process with compassion.
There is truly little as joyous and life-changing as adopting a child can be. However, confusion comes into the process with the laws governing adoption, which can be confusing making the process often quite lengthy. In order for the process to go as smoothly as possible, it is greatly recommended that potential adoptive parents obtain legal advice from an adoption attorney, in Dallas.
Nancy Ridgway Law Offices, in Dallas, can expertly guide and professionally support you through the adoption process of adoption, regardless of the type you are considering.
Contact Us Today! (972) 671-5000
Types of Adoption Available in Dallas
Private Adoption – If you are considering adopting a child through independent (or private) adoption, you will need to locate a birth mother who is willing to place her child up for adoption. The law is somewhat vague, in the state of Texas, regarding whether or not prospective parents can advertise that they are looking to adopt a child. However, Texas law prohibits attorneys from locating birth mothers for adoptive parents. Subsequently, the most productive way, for prospective adoptive parents to find a birth mother, is by word of mouth through friends, family, or professional relationships.
Another concern arises from the type of monetary support the adoptive parents can provide to the birth mother, since it is a crime, in Texas, to buy a child or pay money for placement. Usually, adoptive parents are allowed to pay reasonable medical, counseling, and legal expenses that relate directly to the child’s health. Living expenses are forbidden from adoptive parents. Navigating a private adoption is difficult and Nancy Ridgway can guide you, so you do not inadvertently break the law.
Adoption Agencies – Adoption agencies assist prospective parents, after application, with a prospective match with a birth mother and her child. Agencies licensed in Texas are allowed to advertise for birth mothers, but this is not true for agencies licensed in other states. The process of adopting through an agency can be time-consuming, due to the stringent application process and qualifications. Typically, the agency will provide counseling for the adoptive parents as well as the birth parents, which makes the adoption process easier for all parties involved.
Open Adoption – Birth parents and adoptive parents meet each other and remain in communication throughout the child’s life.
Closed Adoption – Birth parents and adoptive parents do not meet and do not communicate.
The Adoption Process – Dallas
After determining the adoption type, various legal processes come into play and must be followed, depending on where the child was born, whether in Texas, another state, or another country. Before finalizing the adoption, the rights of the birth parents must be terminated.
Furthermore, the petition for adoption cannot be finalized until you have had the child in your possession for at least six months, and you have provided the court with a social study, a genetic history, and a criminal record background history. Nancy Ridgway is well versed and can assist in every step of the adoption process.
Schedule a Consultation with a Dallas Adoption Attorney
Schedule a Consultation
Without proper legal guidance, the adoption process can be overwhelming and tedious. For personalized advice and dedicated guidance during the adoption process, contact the legal office of Nancy Ridgway today and make an appointment for your consultation.