When a biological parent is unable to care for his or her child, it may be the case that a stepparent is there to step in and legally adopt the child. The adoption proceeding legally establishes a parent-child relationship for all purposes. This can happen when a parent who has custody of a child gets remarried and the other biological parent either agrees to the stepparent adoption or is not otherwise involved in the child’s life. Adoptions, including stepparent adoptions, include complex legal steps that must be strictly followed as part of the process. In contested cases, one of the more difficult parts is the termination of the biological parent’s parental rights to the child.
Our firm has the experience and expertise to guide your family through this often difficult process. When you retain Smart & Malone Family Law Group, PLLC, you can be certain that we will take the time to learn more about your family, your unique circumstances, and ensure that adoption proceedings are done in the most efficient manner possible.