Fort Worth – Cleburne
Open And Closed Adoption, Step-parent Adoption, Same Sex Parent Adoption
Congratulations on making the decision to build your family through adoption. Whether you are adopting your spouse’s child from a prior relationship, adopting a grandchild or a relative’s child, or adopting one of the many waiting children in Texas or worldwide, we wish you all the best on the adventure of parenthood.
Fort Worth attorney Chloe Chartier is here to help with your adoption, call 817-576-6537.
Private Adoption In Texas
In a private adoption, the mother and adoptive parents are not using an adoption agency to handle to adoption process but are instead working through an attorney. At Johnson McNulty, we handle private adoption proceedings for:
- Step-parent adoptions, including adoption for same-sex couples
- Grandparent adoptions
- Aunt/uncle adoptions, or family friend adoptions
- Private placement where a birthmother chooses the adoptive parents
Even if you are adopting a child that is related to you, you will still need to go through a home study process where the state determines that you are able to provide a safe, nurturing and loving home for the child.
You and the birth mother will need to decide what kind of adoption you want – an open or a closed adoption:
- In a closed adoption, the adoption records are sealed and the child does not know who their birth parents are unless the birth parents chooses to make that information public. The birth parent has no contact with the child.
- In an open adoption, the adoptive parents and the birth parents decide together how much openness they want. The child may be given information about his/her birth mother; the birth mother may visit the child.
Adoption attorney Chloe Chartier will file an adoption petition with family court and will go to court with you to make your case to the judge.
Termination of Parental Rights: Agreeing to terminate one’s parental rights can be emotionally difficult for birth parents, but it usually goes smoothly in the end. However, there are times when a birth parent chooses to fight the adoption. Brenna represents adoptive parents in proceedings to terminate parental rights.
Adoption Agency’s in Texas
Even if you work with a Texas adoption agency to handle all the paperwork with your domestic or international adoption, you will need a lawyer to finalize the adoption paperwork with the court. We’re happy to help you with this last step in the process of becoming a family. Contact our Fort Worth office to schedule an appointment. Call 817-576-6537.
