In today’s world, more and more families, particularly in the United States, are choosing to adopt children. The Law Firm and Mediation Practice of Alla Roytberg, P.C. has recently expanded its practice to include adoptions.
For many, the adoption process may seem overwhelming:
- Should you adopt domestically or internationally?
- Do you want to formalize the relationship with an existing child in your family through a step-parent adoption?
- Are you a same-sex couple trying to decide what types of legal paperwork need to be prepared to secure your rights as parents?
The process is cumbersome, but not impossible, and we can guide you through it.
Under New York law, all adoptive parents have to be certified by the court if they want to adopt a child in the United States. They must:
- File a petition
- Supply information and documents
- Get child abuse clearance
- Pass through a criminal background check
- Provide information about their:
- Property ownership
- Marital and family status
- Mental health
Much of this is usually accomplished through the adoption home study, a pre-placement investigation in which a social worker visits the home and then submits a written report to the court.
In a step-parent adoption, the certification process involved in a standard private adoption can often be curtailed. The problems with step-parent adoptions usually revolve around the question of consent from the biological parent, who is no longer in the picture. Before a step-parent can gain legal rights, the biological parent’s rights must be terminated.
In a second-parent adoption in same-sex families, the adoption process also varies from the standard private adoption process.
Do you know that relatives and grandparents can also adopt a child? Sometimes it may be in the children’s best interest to be raised by other family members, such as siblings or grandparents. Many of them are already raising kids, who consider these relatives to be their real parents.
Thinking about adoption? Please feel free to give us a call. We will be happy to talk with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Alla Roytberg
The Law Firm and Mediation Practice of Alla Roytberg, PC
www.goodlawfirm.com
Phone: 212-582-5757