Adoptions are the bright spot in my practice. They are the one, truly happy thing that I get to do in court. I really enjoy this area of my practice and relish the opportunity to be involved in putting a family together.
There are two basic types of adoptions:
- A step parent adopts their step child with their spouse
- Both biological parents terminate their rights and non-parents, who may or may not be related to the child, adopt the child
The courts do not like to terminate a parent’s rights unless there is an adult waiting to step in and adopt the child. I prefer to focus on adoptions where the biological parents voluntarily relinquish their parental rights.
In most situations, Texas adoption law states that in order to adopt a child, the child must live with you for at least 6 months, the biological parents’ rights must be terminated, and a social study and criminal background investigation must be completed.
The Adoption Time Frame
There is no waiting period for an adoption. Thus, we can usually complete them within six months. In most cases the child will need to come to court for the adoption. You are free to bring any friends or family you would like and pictures are encouraged. It is a happy day that I often refer to as the child’s “second birthday”.
If you are considering adopting a child and would like to know more about Texas’ adoption laws, please contact our office.