Adoption creates a permanent legal parent and child relationship, with all the rights that come with it: inheritance, insurance, medical decisions, and a new birth certificate showing the adoptive parent. In Alabama, adoptions are filed in probate court, and the most common one we handle is the stepparent adoption, where a stepparent who has been raising a child makes it official.

The single biggest factor in how simple an adoption will be is consent. When the biological parent whose rights are affected signs a consent, a stepparent or relative adoption is usually a smooth flat fee matter with one short hearing. When a parent will not consent, the law provides paths the court can consider, including implied consent where a parent has abandoned the child or gone long periods with no contact or support. Those cases are contested and take more work, and we will walk you through exactly what to expect before anything is filed.

Adult adoption is simpler than most people expect. When the person being adopted is 19 or older and consents, the biological parents’ consent is not required, and the process is mostly paperwork. Families use it to formalize stepparent and foster relationships and for inheritance planning.

Every adoption is handled by our attorneys. After you send in this questionnaire, please call the office nearest you to schedule a consultation, and gather the child’s certified birth certificate and any custody orders, since those documents drive the timeline.