Adoption Attorney in The Woodlands

We Help Loving Families Grow

Adding to your family by adoption is cause for celebration, but it can also be tricky to navigate for many reasons. We help adoptive parents work through the complex legal issues that come along with adoption law such as…

Working with a private agency from another state or country
Formally adopting a child you have been fostering

Adopting a child who is biologically related to you or your spouse
Navigating adoption after the death of a child’s biological parents

Our law office can also assist the brave birth parents who chose to relinquish parental rights and place their child with a loving adoptive family. For more information about these adoption situations and more, contact our compassionate legal team at Griffith Law Office.

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Adoption Lawyer in The Woodlands

Who Cares for Children & Families

Adoption by Grandparents
In some cases, adoption by grandparents is in the child’s best interest, whether a child’s biological parents are deceased, absent, or unable to provide care for their child.
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Restoring Parental Rights
Reuniting a child and parent can be healing and is the ideal outcome after any separation. Litigation is possible if the biological parent shows evidence to reinstate their rights.
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Adoption by a Step-Parent
An experienced lawyer can help step-parents navigate the adoption process along with their spouse, even if the former spouse/biological parent is unwilling to give up parental rights.
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How The Adoption Process Works

Adoption proceedings include an intensive home study by a social worker and require all household members to pass a criminal background check. The state of Texas also requires adoptive parents to be:

21 or older
Financially stable
Be able to care for the physical and emotional needs of a child
Provide information regarding their background and current lifestyle
Provide extensive relative and non-relative references
Supply a marriage license or proof of divorce if applicable (Singles can adopt, but couples must be married to adopt together)
Attend extensive, free training on child abuse and neglect

Social worker visits will continue after the child has been placed in the home to complete the home study before the adoption attorney can finalize the paperwork to be signed off by a judge, at which point the adoption is complete.

Guiding You Through Private Adoption

Adoption Attorney in The Woodlands, Texas

Legal
Preparing for private adoption with a birth mother presents a legal risk, from inter-state adoption issues to formalizing parental rights.
Financial
We can help you legally navigate financial compensation for medical services to your child’s birth mother through your adoption agency.
Emotional
The birth mother cannot legally relinquish parental rights until a minimum of 48 hours after birth, which can create emotional challenges.

Experienced Family Law Attorney

Adopting a child is a highly involved legal process. Lawyer Rachael Griffith is experienced with many types of adoptions, including

Private adoptions
Agency adoptions
Same-sex adoptions
Step-parent adoptions
Out-of-state or international adoptions
Grandparent adoptions
And more

Your Adoption Starts Here

1. Contact Our Law Firm

We would love to hear more about your adoption case so we can offer more specific legal advice for your unique situation.

2. Prepare & File All Paperwork

We can guide you through paperwork, home studies, and training to complete your adoption.

3. Complete Your Family

Our goal is to place children in healthy, loving homes, and make your family complete.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Biological Parents Come Back to Take a Child?

Once the adoption process is legally complete, the biological parents have relinquished their legal parental rights. A child is typically free for adoption before placement with an agency adoption. Cases where a parent changes their minds are infrequent but can occur before the dissolution of parental rights. Once the adoption is complete, birth parents have no legal rights to the child.

Can same-sex couples adopt in Texas?

Yes, all 50 states legally allow same-sex couples to adopt a child.

HOW LONG WILL THE ADOPTION PROCESS TAKE?

The time frame and costs associated with the adoption process will vary from case to case. If you have completed a home study, the process will move more quickly and may be completed in a few months. The age of the child you’re looking to adopt will also affect the timing. The wait for an infant is 2-7 years on average. Your family will also be supervised after the child is placed in the home, for a minimum of 6 months.

Our Goal is to Grow Your Family

Adoption takes time, money, and great emotional investment. We help families understand all of the steps to adoption, so the process can happen quickly to save you money and stress. If you have questions about adoptions in Texas, we’re here to help. Schedule a consultation by calling (903)-636-3700.

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