Shelby County Adoption Attorneys

An adoption is where an adult files a petition to become the parent of a child in the eyes of the law, just the same as if they were the biological parent. A Shelby County adoption attorney would file it for you and help you argue your case successfully to the Probate Judge. If successful, the adoptive parents would take on all rights and responsibilities as a biological parent.

Adoption results in terminating any legal rights the biological parents may have. To get the process started, a Petition for Adoption must be filed with the local courts. Our adoption lawyers in Shelby County can help you file your petition for adoption in the Probate Court in Columbiana, Alabama.

Stepparent adoption can be the simplest type of adoption procedurally if the relevant biological parent is in agreement. Usually there is one hearing, at most, but it can be done without any contested proceedings since no one is objecting. Courts typically streamline hearings such as this to make it as easy as possible for the family to complete the adoption.

Our local Alabama adoption attorneys charge a flat fee to file such cases as stepparent adoptions. There are filing fees and other additional fees involved, which vary from county to county. Give our office a call today to retain an adoption attorney in Shelby County.

To get an adoption, the prospective parents need to meet the following requirements in most cases for the Shelby County adoption attorney to be successful:

• All parents must be over 19 years of age.
• Married couples must be married for at least 3 years.
• One must be a U.S. citizen in married couples.
• Housing and personal space must be adequate for the child or children adopted.
• Parents must be healthy enough to meet a child’s needs.
• You must be willing to undergo a thorough background check, including criminal history.

There are several common types of adoption that our Shelby County adoption attorneys can file for. Examples include a Domestic Agency Adoption, International Adoption, and Foster Care Adoption. Domestic Agency Adoptions are agencies located in the United States. They typically provide all the services needed to complete an adoption in Shelby County, Alabama. A few services provided are counseling for the birth parents, adoptive parents, and pregnant women. The domestic agency also provides financial protection for adoptive parents and referrals to legal professionals for assistance. Our Shelby County adoption attorneys know the difference and can help you throughout the entire process.

Each state has slightly different laws related to adoptions. Parents looking to adopt, should let the domestic agency outside of the state know that they are a resident of Alabama. Having a local Shelby County adoption attorney will help you with the adoption process in Alabaster, Pelham, Chelsea, or anywhere else in Shelby County, Alabama. Whether you need an adoption attorney in St. Clair County or Jefferson County, we can help. Our Alabaster & Shelby County adoption lawyer can help you no matter what your family law matter involves.

International adoption is the process by which parents adopt a child from outside the United States. International adoptions largely depend on the laws of the country you are trying to adopt in. Countries part of The Hague Adoption Convention policies vary from other countries that are not.

You should decide which country you want to adopt from. Your Shelby County adoption attorney will make sure you meet the qualifications from the county you choose. When deciding on a county, think about the culture and current political state of the country. Budget is very important to think about since costs vary greatly in each country. Each country has different types of adoptions, so it is best to know which ones are offered. For example, infant vs. teenager or boy vs. girl availability.

Next, you will need to find a reputable international adoption agency in Alabama. If possible, talk to parents who previously adopted internationally to see which agency they used. Before you can adopt, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Adoption Department will need to verify that you are eligible to adopt. Our Shelby County adoption attorneys can help no matter what your situation is.

If matched with a child, you will need to travel to the child’s home country. While there, you need to prepare to stay in the country for four weeks. During those four weeks you will have time getting to know the child. Completion of your visa application and forms for Alabama’s international adoption process will be done during this time too.

Before you leave the country, you will have an interview with their adoption authorities. This interview is to ensure you meet the requirements for adoption in Shelby County. Once you are back in Alabama, you will need your adoption lawyer to fill out the visa forms to finalize the adoption. Whether you need an adoption attorney in North Alabama or anywhere else in Alabama you can give us a call and let our Shelby County adoption attorney help.

The last common type of adoption is foster care adoption. The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) usually handles foster care adoptions. Call us today for more information and let our Shelby County adoption attorneys help your family through this seemingly daunting process.

An adoption that everyone agrees to, including biological parents, can be very simple for our Shelby County adoption lawyers to file for you. It is common for stepparents to adopt when the biological father consents. Our adoption lawyers in Shelby County charge a low flat attorney fee, plus filing fees. Whether you need a family law or divorce attorney in Montevallo or anywhere else in Shelby County then we can help.

There are also fees for home inspections and other costs in addition to our attorney fees. The child will need to stay with the prospective parents before the final decision. There is usually a home inspection of some kind ordered by the court. Stepparent adoptions are streamlined when the child is currently with prospective parents.

Stepparent adoptions done by agreement tend to be cheaper than parents not in agreement. Shelby County adoption attorneys charge flat fees in these cases instead of the larger retainers required in other adoptions. Parents not in agreement typically have more hearings to resolve issues.

One reason is to terminate the biological father’s rights and the second one is to determine if the parent unfit. Need an adoption attorney in Shelby County, Alabama? Our Alabaster divorce attorneys & adoption lawyers are ready to help you and your family today!