Massachusetts Adoption Lawyer

Our Family Law Firm Can Help You with Adoption

The process of adopting another individual and making him or her part of your family can be quite complex. Whether you choose to use an agency or proceed on an independent basis it is highly recommended that you also seek the assistance of a qualified Massachusetts family law attorney to advise and represent you. Not only can the petitions and interviews be demanding one also has to consider issues of property, asset disposition and estate planning.

Adoption Attorney in Massachusetts

There are many types of adoption although all are basically a process of bringing someone into your life along with the legal recognition that they are now a part of your family. We have the highest interest in assisting those who are hoping to add a child to their families through adoption. Most commonly parents seek to adopt a child through an agency. There are two general types, a public agency and a private one. A public agency will handle children who have become a ward of the state for reasons such as abandonment or court ordered custody due to abuse issues. A private agency, such as connected to a church or charity, will work with children that parents have given up for adoption.

The so called independent adoptions, which do not have an agency, are not allowed in Massachusetts however if parents are interested in adopting a child they can do so under what is called an identified adoption. The transaction is handled through an agency at this point but the difference is that the child to be adopted has already been identified by the prospective parents.

There are many other types as well. Certainly many parents have turned to foreign nations in their search for a child to adopt. Sometimes it is a case of domestic partners seeking to raise a child. Or step-parents wish to acknowledge a child as their own.

Some of the many parts to an adoption are:

• An investigation of the parents to determine fitness and capability
• The court process which includes a notice to relevant parties and an adoption petition
• This is followed by an adoption hearing and a finalizing of the process by a judicial order

There are numerous actions that need to take place within the above and in many cases there are decisions to be contested as well. The process can be lengthy and is most certainly involved. As an attorney with over 2 decades spent in family law, and as an adoptive parent himself, our attorney, Mr. Rauseo is very familiar with the timelines and procedures you will be facing in the adoption process, and takes special interest in assisting families in the adoption process. Being informed before you embark upon an adoption can only assist the process towards a smooth forward motion.

We can help you with your adoption journey. Whatever your need in this area we advise you to contact a Massachusetts adoption attorney if you are considering taking this path.