Dallas & Garland, Texas, Adoption Lawyers:
One of the most satisfying services Warren & Migliaccio provides as a family law firm is helping clients create the parent-child relationship through adoption.
What type of adoptions can Warren & Migliaccio assist me with?
1. Step-parent adoption
2. Extended family member adoption (aunts and uncles, etc)
3. Grandparent adoptions
What qualifications do you need to adopt?
1. Be at least 21 years old
2. Be financially Secure
3. Be mature and responsible
4. Participate in a home study where your parenting skills are tested and your background is checked.
You do not have to be married to adopt.
- Does one of the biological parent’s rights need to be terminated for the adoption to be valid?
Yes, however a suit for termination of parental rights can be filed with the petition for adoption.
Does the birth parent need to consent to his or her rights being terminated?
- Yes, except in some situations where the birth parent has his or her parental rights terminated involuntary. A common reason for a parent to have their rights terminated is for failure to pay child support or abandonment.
The process of termination can be made simpler if the birth parent voluntarily signs an Affidavit of Relinquishment of Parental Rights. When adopting a step-child in Texas, the Court prefers that if one parent’s parental rights are terminated, another willing person is there to step in and adopt the child.
Adoption is often a complicated, but rewarding process. Having an advocate like Warren & Migliaccio by your side can help make adoption less stressful, more successful, and put the child’s best interests first.
Call us at 972-205-9750 or send us an email to set up a time for us to meet and discuss your options.