Texas Domestic Adoptions Attorneys

Adopting an infant is a rewarding experience that will change your life forever. At the Dallas law firm of Palmer & Manuel, our domestic adoption attorneys handle the legal issues so that you can focus on becoming a family. We guide you through the legal complexities and prepare you for procedural matters, such as the final adoption hearing.

Helping You through the Adoption Process in Texas

• Pre-adoptive homestudy: A pre-adoptive home study is a requirement for all adoptions, including agency adoptions, private adoptions, and other domestic infant adoptions. We help you understand what to expect at the home study, including the criminal background check, child abuse assessment, and other assessments that will be completed as part of the process.

• Termination of parental rights: Before a child can be adopted, the parental rights of the biological parents must be terminated. This can be done voluntarily with the signing of an affidavit or involuntarily under certain circumstances. In Texas, a birthmother must wait at least 48 hours after the child's birth to sign her affidavit relinquishing parental rights. However, parental rights are not truly terminated until the Texas court enters an order so even voluntary cases involve court proceedings.

• Final adoption: Most domestic infant adoptions will not be finalized for several months following the birth. We ensure that all adoption laws are complied with throughout the process to avoid future legal concerns or problems.

Interstate adoptions

Often times, the birth mother lives in a different state resulting in the child being born under a different state's adoption laws. Our adoption attorney, Jenny L. Womack, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. As a result, our firm has the resources necessary to facilitate interstate adoptions in compliance with other state's adoption laws. Additionally, we ensure compliance with the Interstate Compact for Placement of Children so that your child can return home with you.

Financial Assistance for Birth Mothers

If you have found a birthmother on your own, it is important that you understand there are legal procedures for providing them with necessary financial assistance. Do not offer birth parents money without first speaking to an adoption lawyer. Providing a birth mother financial support outside of the statutory process may result in criminal charges.

Call an Experienced Adoption Lawyer in Texas

A simple technical error in the adoption process can create burdensome problems in the future. Imagine the birth mother wishes to regain custody of your child years from now. We can give you the confidence that the process has been successfully completed and that your family is protected.

For experienced legal counsel, call 214-242-6444 or email us to schedule an initial consultation.