6 Reasons to Hire a Lawyer to Help Adopt a Child
Every year, more than one million children are adopted in the United States. In 2001, it was reported that about 1.5 million children found new families that way. A public opinion survey, released in 1997 by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, showed that 58% of all Americans know at least one person whose life has been impacted by this. That includes people who have been adopted themselves, have had to give a child up or who have adopted a child.
- The process of adopting a child can be a complicated one. Thousands of couples make the decision to grow their families through adoption. There are a number of reasons they seek to do this. The hard road they have to take to adopt a child can be hard on them and their union. For that reason, a number seek help from adoption attorneys. There are some very good reasons to get help from a law firm. Here are a few reasons to go that route:
- A good lawyer can help would be parents make the right decisions. As much as couples want to expand their families by adopting a child, the path to that goal can be really challenging and a lot of decisions have to be made along the way. A lawyer who is experienced in this kind of law can help explain the process and help make sure you have all the information you need to make the right decisions for yourself and your family.
- They can give you the help you need with all the paperwork. The amount of paperwork that has to be tracked down, completed and returned by a certain date is sometimes overwhelming. Any problems with your paperwork can result in delays in a process that is already really, really long. When you have an adoption lawyer on your side, you can work through the paperwork, they can help with the questions you have and they can make sure everything is filed on time.
- They will help when you go in to court. Going to court is a scary experience. When you are trying to adopt a child, you may feel overwhelmed when you go before a judge. Having a lawyer you know and trust by your side can make this experience a lot easier and less stressful. They can help you better understand what to expect when you get into court and that alone can make it less scary.
- You may be able to get your case fast tracked. Depending on your circumstances and situation, there may be a chance that you can get your case put on a faster track to being resolved. This is something you will definitely need an attorney to help you with. A good lawyer who works on these cases may know some people who can help you with this.
- They can help with complications. Even when couples have the best qualifications, complications can pop up. These may be as simple as an issue with the paperwork or they can be more serious. Should this happen to you, your attorney can really help. There are a lot of rules and regulations that govern this process and it is always good to have a qualified professional by your side to offer help when you need it.
Adopting a child can be a really wonderful experience, even if the process to get there may mot be the most fun in the world. When you are looking to hire a lawyer who is an expert in this, remember to make sure the one you select has the experience. You should make it a point to ask them about how many adoption cases they have been a part of, how long they have practiced this kind of law and what percentage of their time is spent on this. You need someone who does a lot of these cases and is well known for it.
Finding the right lawyer for your case to adopt a child can make a really big difference in your stress level. It will remove a lot of the guessing that you may do if you and your partner go it alone.