Adopting 101 – Should You Get an Adoption Attorney in Texas?

Isn’t adoption as easy as it seems in the 1996 classic Matilda? Nope, you can’t simply sign on one dotted line and suddenly have full custody and rights over a child. What happens usually is you need to go through the full process of finding a child, usually through an agency, then arranging for home visits, inspections, and more. Only then can you go through the process of having the parent surrender rights, and you absorb them. Overall, there are many reasons and instances in which you’ll need to have an adoption attorney in Texas involved. Even in the best-case scenario, an attorney can make the process easier and, in some instances, faster.

Concerns for the LGBT Community

Of course, whenever you have something that was only brought into the public light over the last few decades, there will always be misconceptions. These issues often stem from misunderstandings and assumptions. For example, many people within the general public assume that the LGBT community has fewer stable relationships or that they’re more susceptible to divorce.

For people that hear about LGBT adoptions, one of their primary concerns is that the relationship won’t last. But, the opposite is typically true. The divorce rate between same-sex couples is a bit lower than traditional marriages, so all the exposes is that there isn’t any difference between a heterosexual company or a same-sex couple.

Basically, people get married, they occasionally get divorced, and to that extent, you shouldn’t factor divorce rate into the option for adoption. If anything, the slightly lower rate should work in favor of the LGBT community.

All the same, it doesn’t stop people from thinking whatever they may, and in that line, it’s usually best to get an LGBT friendly adoption attorney in Texas. These attorneys not only put up a good fight against the people working against these couples, but they do a good show of presenting the facts around the LGBT community as well.

Understanding the Scope of Adoption

The big one here is that adoption is not a temporary thing. Similar to marriage, you should only enter it if you simply cannot see a future without this person in your life, and then take it to a higher degree. When it comes to adoption, many babies and children experience trauma that adults haven’t.

One of the top reasons why parents lose their rights involuntarily is that they bring the child into the world on drugs. Another of the top reasons is that the child experienced, first-hand, sexual abuse, violence, or neglect. These are things that most adults have not encountered in their lives. Broken adoptions can happen because the child did not have the ability to move past that trauma.

In Texas, adoption isn’t something that you can undo, and second chance adoptions aren’t looked on kindly in this state. Someone trying to adopt-out their kid after the fact is not something that the State wants to see, so your entire family needs to be on board. By Texas law, if you are married, then your spouse must be on the petition for adoption as well.

What Happens in the Event of an Unnotified Parent?

It frequently happens that there is a father listed on the birth certificate, but the mother hadn’t had contact with him for some time. The result is that a father may want the child and may want to be part of the child’s life regally.

An unnotified parent is one of the most disappointing events to happen in adoption. When the adoptive parents have begun to hope for the finalization, they realize that there is a biological parent who wants this child.

Now, the goal is always to serve the best interest of the child, and involving an attorney could help sort this out.

Finally, Is an Adoption Attorney in Texas Necessary?

Because of the extensive paperwork, it’s always best to involve an LGBTQ friendly law firm in Texas that can review the forms and information prior to submission. Just having someone check that everything is in order can save you time and money. However, it’s worth noting that attorneys for adoption do much more than check your forms. They can help you find the resources to schedule a home check, and even ensure that the agency you’re working with actually has the best interest of the future family in mind.

Our adoption attorneys in Houston serve the public in a way that makes adoption an attainable goal. Meet with our team at Eddington & Worley to begin facilitating your adoption plan.