Brandon Adoption Lawyer
Opening your home and heart to an adopted child can be one of the most momentous steps your family might take. The decision to adopt is often an emotional one, but the actual process of adopting a child involves several legal steps that families must take. Before embarking on your own adoption journey, it can be helpful to have an adoption lawyer on your side.
If you are considering adopting a child, Andrew Sorrentino is an adoption lawyer in Brandon, Mississippi who may be able to help your family navigate the adoption process. In order to legally adopt a child in Mississippi, families must go through the legal process of adopting. You and your family may need to meet certain basic requirements and undergo certain formalities in order to adopt a child. What are these requirements and formalities? Here are some things to consider when embarking on the exciting adoption process:
- Make sure you meet Mississippi’s basic adoption requirements. In order to adopt a child in Mississippi, you must be an adult (either married or unmarried), and must be a legal resident of Mississippi.
- Meet Other Adoption Requirements. Basic requirements for adoption are just the beginning. In order to adopt, you may need to show that you have sufficient income to care for an additional household member. Social workers may also look at other factors, including the length of your marriage, your age, and other factors. For example, if you plan to adopt a child over 14 years of age, the courts may require the child’s consent before you can adopt him or her.
- Training and Classes. Before adopting in Mississippi, you may be required to attend training classes to learn more about the adoption process and to learn more about child development, child attachment, and how to manage behavioral issues should they arise with your adopted child.
- Home Study. During the adoption process, a social worker may visit your home to conduct a home study. The purpose of the home study is for the social worker to learn more about you and your family and to find a child who may be a good match for your home and family.
- Once you have passed all other requirements, you can be matched with a child and the child may be placed in your home. If everything works out well, the placement and adoption may be finalized.
These are some general steps that may need to be followed before you can adopt. An adoption lawyer in Brandon Mississippi like Andrew Sorrentino can help you navigate these steps. Contact our firm today to learn more as you embark on this exciting new journey to grow your family.
What do I Need to Do To Prepare for a Home Study?
Set up a consultation with Andrew Sorrentino who is a local adoption lawyer in Brandon, Mississippi. Call us today at (601) 695-7765.
The home study is part of a process conducted by social workers to determine whether you are prepared to adopt a child. While the home study process can create feelings of anxiety for some parents, it is important to remember that the home study process is as much about matching you with the right adoptive child for your needs as it is a process to determine whether you are ready to adopt. You might be asked questions about the age of the child you might want to adopt and whether you believe you might be able to adopt a child with special needs. The social worker may ask about how you plan to raise your children. For example, will your adopted child go to public or private school? How will matters of discipline be handled? What about recreational and social opportunities? Your home may be evaluated to determine whether there is sufficient space for a child to live in your home. Generally the child must have his or her own room or share a room with other children. You may be required to undergo medical testing and psychological testing to determine whether you are physically healthy to care for and parent a child. Finally, your financial background and criminal history may also be evaluated.
These are just some of the things that might take place during the home study and evaluation. The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino is an adoption law firm in Brandon, Mississippi that can help you prepare for the home study. Our firm can help you troubleshoot issues before they arise, gather documentation to support your case, and help you prepare for any problems and address them before they become roadblocks in the adoption process.
Nothing can change your life quite like having a child and growing your family. While adoption can be exciting, the adoption process can be intimidating, which is why hiring the right adoption lawyer is the best way to navigate the complexities of the adoption process. The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino is an adoption law firm in Jackson, Mississippi that works closely with families who are looking to adopt.
Mississippi Adoption Attorney
The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino is an adoption law firm and will work for you as you prepare to grow your family. Whether you are looking to adopt through an agency or seeking private adoption, Andrew will work with you during the process so that you can focus on the excitement of your family’s new addition.
Understanding Mississippi’s Adoption Laws
What Steps are involved in Mississippi’s adoption process?
Mississippi’s adoption laws focus on the best interest of the child and the process is designed to protect the privacy of the child and the natural parents.
1) The adoptive parent(s) or their adoption lawyer must file a petition for adoption in the county’s chancery court where they live or where the child was born, abandoned, or where the child currently lives, including a foster home or institution. Along with the petition must be included a doctor’s certificate stating the physical and mental health of the child, and a sworn statement listing all the child’s property. If the child has a mental or physical health problem, the adoptive parents must include an affidavit stating their awareness of the condition.
2) Written consent must be received from the biological parents, two adult relatives if the parents are deceased, the child’s guardian if the parents are unknown, any person having physical or legal custody of the child (other than a foster parent), the social worker who placed the child in foster care, and the child, if he or she is over 14 years old. The parties must wait at least three days after the child’s birth to sign consent forms.
3) With the proper filing and consent, adoptive parents may receive temporary custody of the child under an interlocutory decree for up to six months before the judge finalizes the adoption. However, the judge can enter the final adoption judgment right away in some cases. The judge may rule against the adoption during the interlocutory period, but the adoptive parents have the right to appeal.
4) Once final, the Bureau of Vital Statistics issues a new birth certificate with the child’s new name and adoptive parents’ names and secures the original birth certificate in a vault. All documents concerning the adoption are confidential and cannot be released without a court order or the consent of the biological parent.
Adopting a child is a legal process. Having a lawyer by your side as you navigate the system can be helpful. The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino in Jackson, Mississippi can help your family as you negotiate the legal and practical challenges of navigating the adoption process.
What Requirements Must I Meet to Adopt in Mississippi?
In order to adopt a child who is currently in the care of the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services, adoptive parents must meet certain requirements in addition to filling out all forms. According to the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services, individuals must meet basic requirements in order to adopt. Some of the basic requirements for adoption in Mississippi include:
- You must be a legal Mississippi resident.
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You must be able to pass a criminal background check.
- You must have no more than four children living in your home.
- You must be able to show that you can financially support a new child living in your home.
If you qualify to adopt, you must submit an application and then may be required to attend training sessions. The training sessions are very valuable because they include important information about child attachment as it pertains to adoptive parents and biological parents. The sessions also offer tools about how to explain adoption to a child and tools to help parents understand the legal and emotional aspects of adoption. After the training, a social worker will visit your home for a home study. During the home study, the social worker can further discuss any concerns or questions you might have about adoption and evaluate your home to see if you are a good fit to adopt a child.
If you are considering adopting, the process can be quite involved. Consider reaching out to The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino in Jackson, Mississippi. Our firm can help you submit applications and prepare you for the home study. We can also help you navigate other aspects of the adoption process, like deciding whether to go with an agency or whether to privately adopt. The process can differ depending on which choice you make and your needs. Our firm can help you ask the questions you need to consider to make an informed decision.
Adopting in Brandon, Mississippi?
Contact The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino Today
Adoption can be an exciting process. The legal steps of adoption, however, can bring their own unique challenges. Whether you are adopting a child in Mississippi or plan to adopt a child from abroad, it can help to have an adoption lawyer working on your side helping you navigate the adoption process. It can also help to have a local attorney working with you. The Law Office of Andrew Sorrentino with families in Brandon Mississippi for all family law matters including those looking to adopt. Call us today at (601) 695-7765.