Adoption
Adoption is a wonderful way to increase the size of your family, or make the family you already have recognized under the law.
There are many different types of adoption in North Carolina, and we’re here to help you in whatever your adoption situation may be. Our office handles several types of adoptions, including:
- Adult Adoption
- Foster Care Adoption
- Stepparent Adoption
- Private Adoption
In many cases, people would like to adopt a step-child or a person that they view as one of their own children, but the law does not recognize the relationship. In North Carolina, other adults can adopt another adult that is not their spouse. This means if you have a person that you have raised, or have treated as one of your own family members you can adopt them so the law will give them all of the benefits that your natural children would have. This includes things such as insurance benefits and inheritance rights.
Another common area of adoption law is foster care adoption. Since there is a strong motivation for children in the foster care system to be adopted, the state has passed many laws to make the adoption of a child in foster care easier than many other types of private adoption.
One of the more complicated areas in adoption law is private or agency adoption. There are many factors to consider like will this be an open or closed adoption, and what types of healthcare might be paid to the birth parent. There can also be additional issues with birth parent rights after the baby has been born. Both birth parents must sign over their parental rights before the child can be formally adopted. This can be a very complex and complicated area of the law and it is strongly encouraged to hire an attorney if you are going to participate in a private adoption.
Here at Duncan Larson Law, we would love to help you through this exciting and nerve-wrecking time. This is a life-changing event and we want to help you remember it in only the most positive way possible so hopefully more children will continue to be adopted in the future