Although a lawyer is not inherently required for the adoption process, it can be extremely helpful to have an experienced professional guide you through this process. An adoption attorney can help advise you of your rights, explain your options and handle your case in compliance with all applicable adoption laws.

We are highly experienced in all types of adoptions, including relative and stepparent adoptions, private adoptions, and adoptions through the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). If you are interested in adoption, you should contact the compassionate and dedicated attorneys at Dothan Law Group who can help you understand the process.

Types of Adoption

At Dothan Law Group, we provide experienced, compassionate, and highly personalized legal service for clients in a wide range of adoption matters, including:

International Adoptions

International adoption is the process by which parents adopt a child from outside the United States. Our familiarity with several different approaches to international adoption allows us to meet the needs of both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Before you can adopt, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Adoption Department will need to verify that you are eligible to adopt. An experienced adoption lawyer at Dothan Law Group can help ensure that all of your paperwork is completed properly and on time, and that any and all legal requirements with which you must comply are fully explained to you.

Independent Adoptions

Independent adoptions allow prospective birth and adoptive parents to find each other independently anywhere in the country. This type of Alabama adoption is best supervised by a lawyer who is experienced in the documentation. Dothan Law Group is an experienced firm who will simplify the process for prospective adoptive parents while, at the same time, ensure that the process is safe and legally sound.

Relative Adoptions

Grandparents or other family members often step into the role of primary caregiver when the biological parents are unable or unwilling to parent. Frequently, relatives assume the responsibility of parenting for the following reasons:

• Death of a parent
• Financial issues
• Substance abuse by the parents
• Child abuse
• Child neglect
• Abandonment
• Teenage pregnancy
• Incarceration
• Mental health problems
• Parent’s decision not to assume responsibility

There are many reasons why relatives wish to legally adopt children in their families. If you are a relative considering adoption of a child to be born or already born in your family, please contact Dothan Law Group.

Agency Adoptions

Funded by local, state, and federal sources, public adoption agencies facilitate the adoption of children from foster care. Dothan Law Group will use its expertise to help you from the very start, going over the necessary steps, negotiating important legal issues and preparing the required legal documents to make your adoption a success.

Step-Parent Adoptions

If you are the only biological parent actively involved in the care and upbringing of your child, and you remarry, you may decide to have your new spouse become a legal parent of your child. When a child is adopted by a step-parent in Alabama, that adoption severs the legal relationship between the child and one of his or her natural parents. After the adoption is finalized, the relationship formed between the adopted child and step-parent becomes permanent. Dothan Law Group can help you with the adoption process to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Adult Adoptions

There are many personal and legal reasons why you may want to complete an adult adoption. In Alabama, an adult adoption proceeds under many of the same rules and statutes as an independent/private adoption. This legal process gives both parties increased rights and responsibilities, including inheritance rights. Because there are always legal complexities that can occur with any process involving parental rights, we encourage you to work with the experienced law firm at Dothan Law Group to help your adoption proceed as smoothly as possible.

Foster Care Adoptions

Foster care adoptions are handled through the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). You will need to fill out an application to Foster and Adopt. After a child has been placed in your home successfully for at least three months, you can move forward in the adoption process to ask the court to finalize your adoption in Alabama.

Alabama Adoption Law

There are many adoption requirements you must adhere to in order to adopt a child. Alabama’s many adoption laws are found in Title 26, Chapters 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. Ala. Code 16-10A-1 through 26-10A-38 is the Alabama Adoption Code, and it controls the adoption process within the state. Dothan Law Group can help you with the requirements of your eligibility to adopt and the child’s eligibility to be adopted.

Adoption Requirements

The state of Alabama has certain adoption requirements that you must meet. Adopting a child can be a very rewarding experience. However, there are a few preliminary requirements all prospective parents must meet:

• You must be over 19 years of age.
• If married, marriage must be of at least 3 years duration.
• If a married couple, one must be a U.S. citizen
• You must have adequate housing & personal space for the child or children adopted.
• You must be healthy enough to meet a child’s needs.
• You must be willing to undergo a thorough background check, including criminal history.

Contact an Adoption Lawyer in Dothan, Alabama

Our knowledgeable adoption attorneys at Dothan Law Group will ensure you are aware of requirements at every step of the way, and we will support you as you decide what is right for your current and/or future family. Our experienced lawyers will help you draft all of the necessary documents and answer any questions you might have regarding the process or your rights after the adoption is finalized. The caring adoption lawyers at Dothan Law Group have experience guiding families just like yours through the legal process quickly and thoroughly. We handle the legal details of adopting your child so you can sit back and prepare for your joyous arrival.