Do not go through the adoption process alone. There are too many people who have made mistakes in the Clarksville adoption process, only to extend the already lengthy process or lose out on the chance to adopt through their own errors. Adopting a child is an important, joyful time for your family, but it is also a complex legal process. Make sure you work with a Clarksville adoption lawyer that you know will protect your interests in the process and help you realize your family goals.
At Mathis, Bates & Klinghard PLLC (MBK), we understand the complex legal process of successfully filing for a Clarksville adoption, and our legal counsel services know how to eliminate the errors that can hinder the process. From our Clarksville, TN, office, we serve clients in Tennessee and Kentucky, and we proudly serve military service members and officers throughout the U.S. and overseas.
Stepparent Adoptions And Grandparent Adoptions
One aspect of our Clarksville family law practice involves representing stepparents and grandparents in adoption proceedings. When a divorced parent remarries, or when a child develops a strong bond with a grandparent or a parent’s new spouse, an adoption can give official recognition to the relationship and afford the grandparent or stepparent all of the rights and responsibilities of a biological parent. We represent clients in all forms of adoption including same-sex couples as well as surrogacy and sperm donation situations. State law often lags behind technology regarding assisted reproduction and it is important to have an experienced attorney to guide you in this complex area of law to protect your family and avoid future litigation.
Our Clarksville legal counsel services also help clients through the administrative adoption process when the other biological parent does not dispute the adoption, and we also help clients through contested cases involving termination of parental rights due to unfitness as a parent. While some roads to this type of adoption are more challenging than others, we will be with you every step of the way to bring your family together.
State Adoptions
Our attorneys also represent clients in state adoptions. State adoptions involve children who have been in foster care and are being adopted. This type of Clarksville adoption process involves a complex, often lengthy administrative process with the Department of Children’s Services. Without legal counsel, the process can take even longer, and you could lose the opportunity to adopt altogether. Our attorneys can help you expand and increase the love your family shares by helping you through every step of the adoption process through our Clarksville legal counsel services.
Surrogacy Agreements
Our firm can help surrogate parents and intended adoptive parents navigate surrogacy agreements under state law. A surrogacy agreement operates like any legal contract in Tennessee, and each party should have legal representation to help protect their personal rights and interests. There are different types of surrogacy, and each may require different responsibilities for each party involved.
The surrogate parent or parents can meet with the intended adoptive parent or parents to negotiate an agreement. This will cover specifics such as:
- How to respond to potential risks or liabilities of the process
- Compensation for a surrogate parent
- Rights and responsibilities of all parties during and after pregnancy
- How and when parental rights will be established and terminated
Once the agreement is created and finalized, parties can begin the surrogacy process. Whether you are becoming a surrogate parent or are looking to adopt a child through surrogacy, it is crucial that you work with compassionate and experienced attorneys in the field.
FAQs
How much it costs to adopt a child in Tennessee depends on the type of adoption. For an adoption through a private agency, the costs can range from a thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Each private agency will have its own pricing for things like applications, placement, home studies, orientations, intestate services, and counseling for birth parents.
Adoption from foster care has fewer costs than private agencies. Adopting parents should be sure they understand the costs of the adoption process and the costs of raising a child.
The requirements to adopt a child in Tennessee are:
- You must be 21 years of age,
- You must be a resident of Tennessee,
- You must have the capabilities to provide for your own family’s financial and emotional well-being.
Adopting individuals can be married, divorced, or single. You are also eligible to adopt regardless of whether or not you have other children, whether you are a homeowner or rent, or whether you work full-time or short-time.
In Tennessee, independent adoptions are not allowed without oversight. An independent adoption typically refers to a private agreement between a child’s birth parents and the adoptive parents. In some states, this is possible without agency oversight, but that is not the case in Tennessee. There must still be approval and oversight from a private or public agency that is licensed to place children in safe homes and conduct home studies.
In some cases, a child can be adopted without the father’s consent in Tennessee. If a father is not married to the mother and does not establish his parental rights, he has no rights to the child and no say in whether the child is placed up for adoption. Establishing paternity can be done with the consent of both parents or through court action. If a father has established parental rights, both parents have the same legal rights to their child and can request custody.
Contact Clarksville MBK Legal
Do not wait to talk with an attorney from our firm about your adoption process options. For our legal counsel services, schedule a consultation online or call us directly at (931) 919-5060.
