Adoption Attorney
Las Vegas Adoption Attorneys
Adopting a child is one of the most compassionate things you can do for a child, but you want an experienced adoption attorney on your side throughout the process. Smith Legal Group is here to help you through the challenging and sometimes overwhelming legal process involved with adopting a child in Las Vegas or Henderson, NV. Our adoption lawyers have years of experience and will walk with you through the process. Everyone who wants to adopt a child means well, which is why it’s so critical to have our family adoption lawyers make the process as easy as possible. Learn more about our adoption law firm and get in touch with us today to request a consultation.
What Is Adoption?
Adoption is the process of taking full, legal responsibility for another person. Typically adoption involves a parent or parents who wish to adopt a child, but adoption can also include one adult adopting another adult. Our attorneys specialize in all areas of family law adoption and can help you navigate the confusing waters of adoption services in Nevada.
Navigating the Two-Step Process
The state of Nevada has unique adoption laws, and child adoption is usually a two-step process. Every child has two parents, whether they have ever been involved in the child’s life or not. Before adopting a child, the adopting party or parties must ensure that the parental rights of the child’s parents are terminated. Once the rights have been terminated, the court will grant parental rights to the adoptive parent(s). Smith Legal Group understands adoption and the process and standards necessary to terminate the rights of biological parents. Not every adoption is easy, but we want to ensure the process is satisfying for the adopting parents bringing a child into their family. In Nevada, prospective parents must meet the following criteria to adopt:
- Ability to provide for the adopted child financially while offering them a supportive and loving home
- Be at least 21 years old and a minimum of ten years older than the child they wish to adopt
- Be an individual of good character
Family Lawyers for Multiple Types of Adoptions
There are many ways for prospective parents to adopt a child. Knowing more about your options can help you find the right type of adoption for you. Smith Legal Group is here to help you understand your choices and choose the right route for adoption. Learn more about the many options for adoption:
- Private Adoption – In this type of adoption, prospective parents work directly with the adoptee’s parents or an independent agency that connects both sets of parents.
- Foster Care Adoption – One of the most common forms of adoption, foster care adoption involves the prospective parents working with an adoption agency that has been licensed by the state of Nevada
- Relative Adoption – This type of adoption involves a relative adopting a child, such as a grandparent adopting their grandchild. The child’s biological parents may voluntarily terminate their parental rights, or the court can step in.
- International Adoption – Prospective adoptive parents will work with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in this type of adoption to bring a child into your family from another country. International adoptions are the most expensive option.
Why You Need an Adoption Lawyer
Attempting to navigate the adoption process on your own may be a mistake that costs you lots of time and money. Adopting a child is a loving and selfless act, but it can often turn into a headache if you don’t know how to deal with the process. Our team of lawyers will make your adoption process as smooth and easy as possible. An adoption lawyer can help with matching services to make connections between birth mothers placing their babies for adoption and parents interested in adopting. Our family law firm also handles all the legal aspects required for a valid adoption, including the home study, consents or relinquishments, IPC compliance, petitioning for termination of parental rights, finalizing the adoption, and more.
Get Started Today
Smith Legal Group understands that adoptions should not be taken lightly and that adoptive parents are doing an amazing thing by adding a new child to their family. We want to be your partners in the adoption process and make the transition as seamless as possible. Contact us today to get started by requesting a consultation.