If you are considering adopting a child in the State of California, then
there is some vital information that you will need to know and some important
decisions you will need to make. First of all, you will want to determine
what type of
adoption that you will be completing. The first type of adoption that the state
of California recognizes is a stepparent or
domestic partner adoption. This is an adoption that happens when a parent gets re-married
or moves in with another individual and the new stepparent wants to become
the legal custodian of his or her stepchild.
In order to complete a stepparent or domestic partner adoption, the parent
and stepparent must prove that they are legally married or that they are
in a legal domestic partnership and are registered as such. This is the
most common type of adoption, and is often the simplest adoption procedure
to perform because the child will still remain with at least one birth-parent
as a result of the arrangement.
There are also other types of adoptions that are available to California
residents who are interested in bringing a child into their family through
this method, There are independent adoptions. These are adoptions which
do not involve an adoption agency or the Department of Social Services
as a part of the case. These are rare, because most adoptions have to
be government regulated. There are also agency adoptions, which happen
when the California Department of Social Services and another licensed
adoptions agency to work or collaborate on a part of the adoption case.
As well, there are international adoptions. These involve adopting a child who was born abroad in another country. These adoptions normally involve the most paperwork as families need to communicate with parties in both countries.
In all three of these adoption processes the court will end the parental
rights of the child’s two birth parents and instead make sure that
the adoptive parents become the child’s legal parents. If you want
more information about adoption or need an attorney on your side as you
work through an adoption case then you need to contact a lawyer at Claery & Hammond today.