Our San Diego Attorneys are Experienced with Adoption Assistance
Adoptions occur more in California than any other state and can be a wonderful option for a family that wants to secure their legal rights and protect their child. It is a process that establishes a legal and permanent parent-child relationship with someone that is not a child’s biological or legal parent.
Our San Diego family law attorneys have the dedication and expertise to guide you through and select which adoption type and method is proper for you and your family. Helping our adoptive clients navigate through the legal process of adoption holds a special place in our hearts and is truly a privilege.
There are many types of adoptions to consider for every type of family.
Adoptions we have specific expertise in include an adoptive parent that is a stepparent, a same-sex domestic partner of the biological or legal parent, or a second-parent in an unmarried or unregistered domestic relationship.
Stepparent adoptions. A stepparent that adopts agrees to take legal responsibility for their spouse’s biological child. The non-custodial biological parent loses their rights to the child after consenting to the adoption or after court-ordered termination of their parental rights. This is the most common and least complex form of adoption.
Domestic partnership adoptions. A domestic partnership adoption is available only to same-sex registered domestic partners. It allows one partner to adopt the other partner’s biological or adopted child. The result is that both partners are recognized as equal parents with the same legal rights and responsibilities to the child.
Second-parent adoptions. A more costly and complicated adoption is the second-parent adoption. This adoption is available to all unmarried or unregistered couples and allows a non-legal or non-biological second-parent to adopt the first parent’s biological or adoptive child. After the adoption is complete, the first parent gives up no legal rights to the child and both parents have equal rights and responsibilities.
Independent adoptions. A more simplified and streamlined process is an independent adoption. This adoption is one in which an agency is not involved and the birth parent(s) and the adoptive parents have a private arrangement for adoption. Typically, the birth parents work directly with the prospective adoption parents to make arrangements for placement.
