Twin Falls Adoption Lawyer

Helping Your Family Grow with the Miracle of the Adoption Process

Adding to your family is an exciting experience. Unfortunately, many prospective adoptive parents quickly burn out when they realize the process is so difficult. They might become frustrated searching for a birth mother or trying to negotiate with biological parents about the terms of the adoption. Others are bewildered by the documents they need to file with the court according to adoption law.

At Johnson May, we roll up our sleeves and take over as much work as possible for our clients by providing exceptional legal services. Whether you are seeking a private placement or stepparent adoption—or some other adoption—we can help. Call our Boise adoption lawyer and Twin Falls adoption lawyer today to schedule your initial consultation, with our family law firm today.

Private Placement Adoption Requires Planning

Adoption might be a miracle, but there is substantial legwork involved. Anyone seeking to adopt a child with a private placement must find an experienced Twin Falls adoption lawyer to help them with the entire process.

Adoptive parents will need help with:

1. Finding a birth mother or biological parent. The number of women willing to give up their children has fallen over the past 30 years. Because Idaho has so few people, you might even need to search out of state, but the law regulates advertising.
2. Getting to know the birth mother. Often, several couples are in contact with the birth mother. You need to establish a relationship with her and get her comfortable with the idea of letting you adopt the child.
3. Negotiating the adoption agreement. An adoption agreement is vital. If you have an “open” adoption, the birth mother will have some contact with the child after adoption. An adoptive parent needs to spell out in a written agreement what that involvement looks like. We can discuss how “open” you want the adoption to be.
4. Paying a birth mother’s expenses. Idaho law limits what expenses you can pay a pregnant woman. You might pay for some of her living and medical expenses, but work closely with your lawyer to ensure you are not making any illegal payments.
5. Preparing for a home study. Idaho requires that most adoptive parents go through a home study, which includes background checks and an in-home visit. Let us walk you through the process and prepare accordingly.
6. Handling the legal paperwork. You have not adopted a child until a judge approves the adoption. We can file the required documents and attend all hearings.
7. Advising you on any post-placement study. You might be subject to a six-month supervision before your adoption is finalized. We can discuss what to expect and address any problems in a proactive manner. It’s a mistake to overlook the post-placement study.

Our legal team can also assist if any legal problems arise later from any types of adoptions. For example, a birth mother might overstep the agreement about post-placement contact. We can discuss how to respond in a tactful manner—which, sometimes, might require the involvement of the courts.

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Our Twin Falls Adoption Attorneys Can Help with Stepparent Adoptions

Many of our clients are marrying someone with children and hope to adopt them. At Johnson May, we have helped many people with stepparent adoption.

In adoption cases in many ways the process is easier, because you don’t have to go searching for a birth mother. Nonetheless, some problems can arise:

• The other parent might not want to terminate his or her parental rights. You will need to involve the courts, and it’s not guaranteed that a judge will agree. Often, we allege that the other parent abandoned the child, but we need to document that fact.
• The legal process can feel opaque and confusing. You will need legal assistance creating necessary legal documents and presenting them to the court.
• Grandparents might be unhappy you are adopting their grandchild. Although they can’t legally block the adoption, you might need help thinking through how to respond—especially if you want the child to maintain a relationship with them going forward.

We can help with these and other critical issues. Call Johnson May today to schedule a meeting.

Challenges of Working with an Agency

Because a private placement requires a lot of work, some couples sign up with an adoption agency. The agency does the heavy lifting of the adoption official identifying birth mothers and connecting them with potential adoptive parents. If you meet the birth mother, you typically will do so at the agency, which retains full control of the adoption process.

Adoption agencies usually have in-house legal counsel to draft agreements and handle legal issues. However, it’s sometimes helpful to get your own legal advice. After all, the in-house lawyer represents the best interests of the licensed adoption agency only—not you. If you have questions, then please call Johnson May.

Is it Too Soon to Hire an Adoption Lawyer?

Adoption is a stressful experience for prospective parents. But you can make the process easier through careful planning. This is a critical reason to reach out to Johnson May as soon as you can. We will:

• Help you think through your options. Is an open adoption really right for you? Or do you want a traditional, closed adoption? Are you willing to adopt a foster child?
• Address concerns about the process, such as if you have any criminal history, periods of unemployment, or any other issues. It’s best to address potential problems now—not months later when you are half-way through the adoption process.
• Begin documenting whether a child has been abandoned. Judges aren’t eager to quickly terminate parental rights, even if you are marrying a child’s parent. We might need time to investigate and gather evidence.
• Find a birth mother. Children are in demand, so to speak. We appreciate having as much time as possible to search for a possible birth mother.

It is never too soon to speak with a lawyer about possible adoption. It’s best to start your journey with concrete, accurate information.

Speak with an Experienced Twin Falls Adoption Attorney

Johnson May is happy to help our clients grow their families. Our attorney Bart Browning is an adoptive father himself, so he appreciates the mixture of nervousness and optimism that couples experience at the start of their adoption journey. For legal assistance or to get answers to your questions, please call our law firm today or reach out online.