Adoption Attorney in Phoenix

Phoenix Adoption Attorneys With a Passion for Helping Families

Whether you are ready to expand your family or are just starting to think about adoption, it’s important to be aware that, though rewarding in the end, it’s a complex and often lengthy process. Adoption involves the court system and specific laws, and you need an attorney who has experience in this area and can help you navigate the road ahead.
The process of adopting a child presents unique legal requirements that vary greatly from other practice areas of law. Our firm is prepared to meet these requirements to make the adoption process seamless and rewarding. Adoption is life-changing because you, as the adoptive parent, have taken a pledge to improve the life of a child. That’s why choosing the right adoption attorney is one of the most important steps a Phoenix, Arizona, adoptive family can take.

If you’re ready to seriously explore adoption or have already faced challenges, Arizona Family Law Attorneys can help. Call our Phoenix office today to schedule a meeting with a lawyer and find out more about the services we offer.

Do You Know Everything You Need to Know About the Process?

Adoption is best defined as the legal process of becoming a child’s parent. According to Phoenix, Arizona law, when you adopt a child, you assume every right and responsibility of a biological parent. An adoptive parent is legally required to provide a safe and supportive home for their child and must make important medical, financial, and social decisions for them as well.

There are two main types of adoption: adopting from the foster care system or through a state agency and a private, independent adoption that is arranged between the adoptive and birth parents or their attorneys. The legal process of adopting involves terminating the rights of the birth parents and then bestowing those rights on the adoptive parents through the courts.

Our adoption attorneys work to be sure your child’s adoption is thoroughly complete and legally binding. We work alongside the Department of Child Safety as well as with foster care facilities. We have experience with private adoption agencies and can provide legal guidance and counsel for those interested in using a private firm or family. Whatever the process of your adoption, our family law lawyers will work to ensure you are supported and advocated for.

Why Do You Need an Adoption Attorney?

Working with a Maricopa County adoption attorney is the best way to fully understand the scope of the adoption process. Adoption attorneys will answer every question you have and take the time to attentively discuss any concerns on your mind. You deserve to rest assured and even enjoy the process of adopting a child. Our team will help every step of the way, so you can focus on quality time with your new family.

Another benefit of having an experienced Arizona adoption attorney on your side is having someone who can guide you through all of the complex legal procedures. This can involve going through the home study process, getting a background check, and participating in the evaluations to ensure you have the mental, emotional, and financial means to raise a child. We can also help you ensure the adoption meets all state and federal laws and that the birth parents’ rights are terminated to ensure there aren’t any potential legal issues later on.

Adopting a child is a journey that ends with a beautiful reward. A child is a gift. Arizona Family Law Attorneys are proud to help families through the adoption process because we commend the commitment you’ve chosen to uphold as a prospective adoptive parent.

How Can an Adoption Lawyer Help Me?

For those considering adopting a child through foster care, you must undergo the process in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Child Safety and the Office of Licensing and Regulation. There, of course, are many steps that must be taken to adopt a child legally. In Phoenix, Arizona, the foster home adoption process can be lengthy and intricate. Some adoptions can take up to a year to be finalized. Our adoption attorneys will walk you and your family through the adoption process to ensure that the best interests of the child are always upheld.

Foster home adoptions are best completed with the help of a family law attorney who is local to your area and understands the complexities of your state’s adoption laws. We can help in any county in Arizona where a family is seeking to adopt a foster child, even “kinship foster parents,” who are family members or friends who legally adopt members of their family. The nuances of adoption law apply differently to different people. This is why it’s crucial to use an adoption lawyer to ensure the best outcome.

Attorney Shawnna Riggers is a fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA). She has helped over 500 children become part of a forever family.

Should I Hire an Adoption Lawyer to Help With the Adoption Process?

Adoption can mean assuming legal guardianship of a child you’re related to, but it can also mean using an agency to find a child eligible to be adopted. A benefit to working with an adoption attorney is that your attorney can assist in finding an adoption agency and can liaise with the agency on your behalf. This simplifies the adoption process in many ways and often eases the burden on prospective parents.

There are complicated matters that the adoption agency may be unfit to handle. An adoption attorney is well-versed in every aspect of adoption law and can employ a network of resources to handle any discrepancies in partnership with the adoption agency.

An adoption attorney can also help with other situations, such as a stepparent adoption. These can generally only take place if the other birth parent’s rights have been terminated by the courts or if they voluntarily terminate them so the stepparent adoption can proceed. This is a serious decision, and it’s one that our attorneys can guide you through to ensure you fully understand all of the future implications.

What Does It Take to Do an Independent Adoption?

If you opt not to use an adoption agency, you can pursue an independent adoption with the guidance of a qualified attorney. An independent adoption has a different set of requirements than working with an agency, so it’s wise to team up with a lawyer to ensure you’re meeting every state and federal requirement.

An independent adoption is often organized between the birth and adoptive parents themselves. For example, it’s common for the child to be adopted either by other family members, such as a grandparent or aunt, or by friends of the family. In this case, the parties already know each other and agree to the adoption; they just need an attorney to facilitate the process and ensure it’s legally binding.

An adoption attorney is a legal professional skilled in navigating the field of adoption law. Whatever your concerns may be, a family law lawyer in Phoenix can help. There are many necessary legal documents that must be compiled and filed to complete the adoption application process. A lawyer will help source these documents and ensure that you have everything submitted thoroughly and on time.

An adoption attorney will stand beside you in court for all necessary adoption proceedings. We will advocate on your behalf to demonstrate your aptitude as a potential adoptive parent.

How Are Private Adoptions Different?

Our Phoenix adoption attorneys are also capable of facilitating a private adoption for those interested in doing so. Private adoption is sometimes also referred to as an independent adoption. Private adoption agencies work with your attorney to mediate the process. There is a different set of terms and conditions that accompany adopting a child privately versus doing so through a foster agency or kinship adoption.

All prospective private adoption parents must undergo a home study and become Certified to Adopt through the Superior Court if they are not closely related to the child they are adopting, according to Phoenix, Arizona, law. A home study is when an official, often a social worker or other professional, comes to your home to look at everything and ensure that you have a safe space for the child. They will usually want to see that the home is in good repair and that the child will have their own space. The caseworker will also interview the prospective adoptive parents and potentially others who know them to ensure they are able to care for the child.

It’s best to connect with a qualified adoption lawyer who is well-versed in this practice area because he or she can help with these specific state and local mandates. Your adoption lawyer will work to ensure the private adoption agency is legally and ethically facilitating the adoption and that the child’s best interests are being upheld. At Arizona Family Law Attorneys, we believe anyone who dreams of adopting a child deserves to have that dream come to fruition.

Are Adoption Laws Difficult to Understand?

Both private adoption and foster care adoptions require legal approval of your capability to be a safe parent. All prospective adoptive parents must pass a background check and have no dangerous felonies on their criminal record. You must be legally determined to be in strong mental health standing as well as socially stable enough to be present in the child’s life and able to provide for them financially. An adoption lawyer will stand alongside you in court and defend your ability to parent.

Arizona Family Law Attorneys adoption lawyers in Phoenix will help source all necessary documentation required to prove your eligibility to parents.

How Can the Indian Child Welfare Act Impact Adoption Proceedings?

The Indian Child Welfare Act is a federal law that allows the tribe and family to be involved in decisions such as where the child is placed and where the case is held when a child is removed from their family by Child Protective Services for reasons of abuse or neglect. It can also come into play in cases where the child is being placed for adoption. This means that preference may be given to placement within the child’s own tribe.

If you are interested in adopting and the Indian Child Welfare Act is part of your case, the team at Arizona Family Law Attorneys can help. We can ensure you understand how the Indian Child Welfare Act applies and what limitations it may put on your adoption case.

We Want to Help

Our adoption lawyers will guide you through Arizona State’s specific adoption laws and requirements. This is crucial to your understanding of the process and helps make the adoption journey seamless and easily navigable for you and your loved ones. We will communicate all applicable regulations early on to determine how they will affect your specific case and how they apply to you and your family.

Arizona Family Law Attorneys is proud to support prospective adoptive parents on their journey to starting or extending their family. We promise to stay by your side every step of the way. We pledge to give parents from Maricopa County and all across the state of Arizona the quickest and most stress-free adoption process we can. We know family comes first, and our goal is to give you the most free time to spend with your loved ones while we handle the rest.

We can help. Call us at (480) 448-0608. By assuming the majority of the legwork, our adoption lawyers help make the process smooth and painless so you can focus on what means the most to you — your family.