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Whether you go through an adoption agency or independently there is a court process that is involved with adopting a child. Court proceedings can be a scary experience if you do not know what to expect to happen during the process. This is why many people who wish to adopt choose to research what is involved with the legal side of adoptions. Here is a basic overview of what to expect during court proceedings for an adoption.
The first step in the legal process for adoption is the serving of a legal notice. This legal notice is served to all involved parties in the adoption. This usually includes birth parents, adopted parents and adoption agencies. This notice is to give notice that a court proceeding will be held in regards to the adoption and that all parties should be present.
The next step of the process is to draw up a standard petition for adoption. If you are going through an agency they usually handle this but if you are doing an independent adoption than you might want to consider hiring a lawyer. An adoption petition includes a list of the people involved with the adoption, legal reasons for the adoption, statements regarding adoptive parents and their wish to adopt and even statements of consent for the birth parents.
The last step of the legal process is the actual court hearing. This is where the court will determine if the adoption is in the best interest of the child and will issue an order called the final degree of adoption if the adoption is finalized.
Every state has their own adoption laws and some might stray for this generalized overview of the court process. It is good idea to seek legal advice from an attorney if you are considering an adoption just to make sure that everything is being handled right.
