When a person is a stepparent, there are many challenges as well as rewards that come with the job. Due to the important role many stepparents play in their kid’s lives, at some point the decision is made to formally adopt the kids as their own. However, since this process involves numerous steps that can get complex along the way, it is always best to rely on the advice of adoption lawyers in McMinnville OR at Goodfellow Law.
Gaining Parental Consent
When a stepparent wants to adopt their stepchildren, one of the first steps involved in the process is gaining the consent of the children’s biological parents. In all stepparent adoptions, it is required that either the birth parents give their consent or have already had their parental rights terminated by the courts for such things as abandonment or other issues. Since this can be a difficult and emotional topic, it is smart to have legal representation from adoption lawyers in McMinnville OR at Goodfellow Law working for you to clear this hurdle.
Court Hearings
Once parental consent is obtained, much paperwork will need to be filed with the court prior to having adoption hearings. Since there will be many deadlines to meet and a variety of requirements as to what information will need to be presented to the court, always rely on expert legal counsel from adoption lawyers in McMinnville OR to guide you through the process.
Since making as few mistakes as possible along the way will simplify and speed up the adoption process, it is smart to not try to complete this process on your own. To ensure all goes well and you are able to formally adopt stepchildren who are cherished members of your family, learn more about the stepparent adoption process by scheduling a consultation with experienced adoption attorneys at Goodfellow Law.
