Adoption Attorney in Los Angeles, CA
When families wish to grow and open their lives up to a child in need, adoption is a powerful way to give a child a bright future. Countless families selflessly open their lives and hearts to children who need a loving home. The process of adoption can be overwhelming and complicated. It is important to work with skilled Los Angeles adoption lawyers to successfully navigate this process, minimizing your stress and helping you focus on the joy to come.
If you are considering adoption, you have a lot to consider about your future. There are many adoption options available and picking the right course for your family is imperative. Adoption is not limited to the parent/ child relationship. There are many instances where other family members have taken on the role of guardian for a child because the biological parent is unable and would like to seek adoptive rights.
There are unique requirements and processes for different types of adoptions, and each can also have different emotional impacts on individuals and families. Selecting an adoption attorney must be done with care. You need an attorney that understands the importance of professionalism and discretion, while also providing exceptional and compassionate legal support. Having the right support system is crucial to protecting you and your family’s interests.
Navigating Adoption With Zitser Family Law Group, APC
If you are considering the process of adoption, you may have a lot of questions. If you are facing a legal matter regarding adoption, you need to consult with an attorney. If you need legal advice or representation, contact Zitser Family Law Group APC for a consultation. Our firm has more than 20 years of family law experience, and years of helping individuals and families navigate complex adoption processes, both domestic and international.
We understand the emotional stressors that come with the adoption process. Our goal is to help you understand your available options and make an informed decision about what is right for you and your family’s future.
Our team of attorneys is led by Certified Family Law Specialist Diana P. Zitser. We leverage our knowledge and experience to bring you effective legal support, personalized to your needs. Whether you are adopting as an individual, a couple, or a larger family, our firm aims to answer your questions, support your concerns, and give you the information you need to feel confident about the process.
Los Angeles Adoption Options
Adoption comes in many forms. Traditionally, there are parents who would like the family to grow and consider the process of adoption. However, there are many other diverse types of adoption.
There are times when someone acts as a guardian for the child over a long period of time and they wish to formalize the relationship and offer benefits by legally adopting the child. Sometimes, stepparents have been such an immense part of their spouse’s child’s life that they want to solidify the relationship and make it official. When a parent can no longer take care of their child for various reasons, a family member may act as a guardian and choose to seek adoptive rights.
Legal support can help any of these adoption types go more smoothly. Our firm represents adoptive families and birth parents in all forms of adoption-related legal matters. Some of the different types of adoption include:
- Domestic adoption
- International adoption
- Stepparent adoption
- Second-parent adoption
- Adult adoption
- Private adoption
Zitser Family Law Group, APC is committed to guiding clients through the process of adoption. Our firm handles all adoption legal issues, including legal matters involving biological parents who have been incarcerated or institutionalized. We will work through all issues that may arise with the adoption agency and prepare you for the process of the home study. The goal is to fully protect your rights and represent your interests throughout every step of adoption.
Domestic Adoption
A domestic adoption is any type of adoption that is managed within the U.S. and California. It covers a wide range of adoption types, including adult adoptions, relative adoptions, adoptions through private and public agencies, adoptions handled independently from agencies, same-sex adoptions, and interstate adoptions. Different types of adoption may have different processes or unique complications.
Agency adoptions are managed by the agency, which conducts background checks, home inspections, and parental counseling, and looks out for the child’s best interests when selecting a home environment for foster care or adoption. It can provide a lot of additional resources and a support system for new parents that may otherwise be harder to find.
Private agency adoptions are incredibly varied because each private agency tends to have its own requirements to adopt, and unique processes for vetting and preparing adoptive and birth parents. When a child is up for adoption in a private agency, it is because the birth parents have given up their parental rights, and the adoption is facilitated by the agency.
Public agency adoptions or foster care adoptions are handled by the state. When a child is up for adoption in the foster system it is because the state has terminated the birth parent’s parental rights. The state agency facilitates the adoption.
No matter the agency or other option used for a domestic adoption, the support of a skilled attorney helps significantly.
International Adoption
International adoptions happen when a child from another country is adopted by a parent or parents living in the U.S. It also includes adoptions where relatives living in the U.S. adopt a child born in another country.
This type of adoption is one of the most complex. Prospective adopting parents must follow the adoption laws in the country where the child is born, as well as international laws, prior to finalizing adoption in the U.S. Parents must also consider immigration requirements and other legal complications. There are private agencies licensed to handle international adoptions.
An experienced attorney in international adoptions will be equipped with the resources and information you need to navigate an international adoption and protect your rights and interests when interacting with a private agency.
Private Adoption
Private or independent adoptions happen when the birth parent or parents directly work with the adoptive parent or parents. There is no agency facilitating the process, just direct placement and adoption. Parties agree on the adoption, and communicate throughout the process, which can make it more personal.
It is even more crucial that parties work with legal support in private adoptions. There are numerous legal requirements to which all parties must adhere. Legal representation helps birth and adoptive parents protect their interests and rights, and protects the rights and interests of the child. Parties have less direct access to resources and support systems without an agency, and an attorney can help secure these resources and ensure laws are followed.
Stepparent and Second-Parent Adoption
This is a type of relative adoption when a child is adopted by their biological parent’s new spouse or domestic partner. This can be done for many reasons, including bringing a family closer together, formalizing the parent-child relationship between a step-parent and their step-children, and ensuring both parents have parental rights to their children.
It is an incredibly common form of adoption and one of the most straightforward. However, there are still requirements that must be met, including investigation and approval by the court. If the child’s other biological parent still has parental rights, a step-parent will need their consent for the termination of their parental rights, or the court can terminate those rights. California also allows for three-parent adoption in certain cases.
Other relative adoptions may follow similar processes as a step-parent adoption. These parties do not need a guardianship or a placement agreement prior to adoption, but they must petition the court. Adoption attorneys can give you the information and support whether you are a step-parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, or other relative looking to adopt a child in your family.
Adult Adoption
An adult adoption is the adoption of an individual who is 18 years of age or older by an older adult – typically when a parent-child relationship already exists. It allows individuals to ensure inheritance rights, formalize parental relationships for related and unrelated individuals, and reconnect families.
These adoptions are very meaningful to all individuals in the adoption process and typically require the consent of both parties. It can result in the termination of the parental rights of the adult child’s biological parents but does not always have to. An experienced attorney can help families and individuals navigate this process successfully and ensure all requirements are met.
Contact a Los Angeles Adoption Attorney
Zitser Family Law Group, APC is committed to every client and family looking to open their hearts to a child in need. Our firm handles all adoption matters. Adoption is a complex and lengthy process. Zitser Family Law Group, APC, will work tirelessly to ensure that your rights are protected while guiding you through the process with the goal of concluding the matter in the best way possible. Zitser Family Law Group, APC will handle extenuating circumstances, including agreements with biological parents, issues with agencies, and any applicable international adoption protocols. To learn more about how we can assist you, contact the law office of Zitser Family Law Group APC for a consultation.
