The Selfless Act Of Stepparent Adoption
It’s not uncommon for a stepparent to adopt stepchildren when the biological parent of a child plays little, if any, role in a child’s life. In other cases, grandparents may seek to adopt a child. However, before an adoption can be finalized, parental rights must be terminated first.
Under Chapter 161 of Title 5 to the Texas Family Code, parental rights can be terminated permanently. Once parental rights are terminated, parents no longer have any legal obligation to a child. As such, once parental rights are terminated the biological parent cannot request visitation or seek custody at a later date; alternatively, the biological parent will not have to pay child support.
At the Law Office of Lori Watson, we advise and represent Georgetown clients in regard to stepparent and grandparent adoptions. If you are thinking of adopting your stepchild or grandchild, contact family law attorney Lori Watson today to schedule a meeting and learn how we can help you.
The Legalities Involved In Adopting Your Stepchild Or Grandchild
In order to adopt your stepchild or grandchild, the court will order an in-home study by a social worker in order to determine if the home environment is a healthy one free of certain dangers or disorders that threaten the well-being of a child.
The court may also request a psychological evaluation of a child to determine if a child is prepared to sever all ties with their biological parent. Here, the court may also take time to evaluate the degree to which a biological parent is involved in the life of their child.
In cases where the biological parent can’t be located, the court can still approve an adoption after it determines all reasonable efforts have been expended in order to locate a biological parent. In cases where a child is over the age of 12, he or she must consent to the adoption.
Call Us Today
There are a number of legal considerations that must be taken into account when adopting a stepchild or grandchild. To learn how we can help you adopt your stepchild or grandchild, email us or call 512-931-2121.