Burdine Law

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Adoption
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Experience And Compassion For Your Stepchild Adoption

Remarriage following a divorce can reveal a lot of things about your previous marriage, including highlighting the shortcomings and compromises you made. Unfortunately, when children are involved, it can also show how poorly your ex-spouse carried out their parenting duties, especially when your new spouse really steps up to be a co-parent.

While this realization can be difficult for everyone, particularly the children, you may also find yourself looking at a silver lining: your new spouse is a perfect fit to co-pilot your new blended family alongside you, and adoption might become the focus.

At Burdine Law, PLLC, we have the experience to help you move forward with your stepparent adoption process. Attorney Hannah Burdine’s twenty years of experience practicing Family Law is coupled with a touch of personal experience in how divorce can impact a family. She can help you move through the adoption process by advocating for what’s best for you and your loved ones.

Things To Consider If Adoption Is Your Next Step

The idea of stepparent adoption may enter the picture if your children’s other biological parent is absent or out of the picture, abusive, or if they engage in other dangerous or illegal behaviors. In scenarios like those, it may make more sense for your ex-spouse to relinquish their parenting duties to your new spouse, who can then fully take on the legal responsibilities of co-parenting.

Of course, you’ll need to build a case proving this to the court. Attorney Hannah Burdine can help you find the right path.

Stepparent adoption is the most common adoption process. Still, there are specific circumstances that must be in place to go through with the adoption:

  • Absence or refusal – if a biological parent has fled or refuses to provide support or perform parenting duties, it may be possible to prove this in court and set the stage for your new partner to officially adopt your kids.
  • Incapable of parenting – in some cases, a biological parent may be mentally unfit for parenting, or otherwise unstable. This may be due to substance abuse, criminal behavior, severe mental illness, or exposing the children to a dangerous or illicit environment.
  • Abusive – someone with a history of abusing the children and/or the other parent may be stripped of their parenting rights by the court if the allegations of abuse can be proven.
  • Direct consent – if the other parent recognizes their own inability or disinterest, they may directly consent to the adoption.

In any adoption scenario, the biological parent would lose their legal rights and transfer them to the step-parent. This includes financial responsibility, rights of inheritance, as well as decision-making rights.

Get In Touch With An Attorney Who Understands What It’s Like

It’s a big decision to adopt stepchildren, but it can make a major difference in their lives and give them the stability they deserve. If you need someone with experience to advocate for your family, Burdine Law is happy to help. Call for a consultation today at (615) 922-3399 or contact us online.