Adoption: Is it For You? 
People adopt children for varying reasons. Sometimes, a couple just cannot conceive a child or carry a child to term. Sometimes, a family is able to birth biological children, but they also have sufficient resources to take in another child who needs help. These people can be matched with parents who – for one reason or another – feel unable to care for their biological child. This can be a boon for both sides. And Oklahoma law provides a legal framework for adoption.
Legal adoption protects the interests of all the parties involved, while placing children into loving homes. Adoptive parents can be among the most loving parents. The legal framework for adoption in any state can be daunting.
The procedure is complicated and an Okmulgee adoption attorney can really help guide you through the process, answering your questions and helping you and your family move toward building a loving relationship with your adoptive child.
Requirements for Adoptive Parents
Because the laws are in place to protect the interests of all parties involved in an adoption, including the children, there are many requirements that adoptive parents must meet in order to adopt a child in Oklahoma.
You basically need to show that you can care for your adoptive child financially, physically, and emotionally. You must be at least 21 years old and in reasonably good health. You can be single or have a partner or spouse. You must also pass a home inspection and reference and background checks. You must also pass a family assessment in which all members of the family are interviewed.
Once a child is adopted, the adoptive parents have the same rights and duties toward that child as they would have if the child had been born to them. The adoption terminates the biological parents’ rights. Thus, either the court will terminate the biological parents’ rights or the parents must consent to the adoption.
Adoption Proceedings
Some adoptions are voluntary and are often handled by an agency. These adoptions are often more fluid and can include a role for birth parents post-adoption, or not, depending on the wishes of all the parties.
Birth parents are often active in choosing an adoptive family in these types of adoptions. Your Okmulgee adoption attorney can give you more information about this type of adoption, whether it is feasible in your situation, and can guide you through the process if it is. The legal process can include preparing contracts, representing the parties during court hearings, and working to making sure that all requirements are met.
Adoption proceedings can get more complicated when the adoption is across state or international boundaries. In Oklahoma, adoptions sometimes involve parties who are members of an Indian tribe. Each tribe has its own laws that must be taken into consideration. These adoptions require an attorney experienced and qualified to practice in these jurisdictions. The attorneys at Wirth Law Offices – Okmulgee fit the bill.
Call today for the help you need. Our adoption attorneys can help you with every aspect of your adoption, from placing a child into an adoption to adopting a child. Or for more complicated adoptions, call us today for a fee consultation.
Low-cost Consultation With an Okmulgee Adoption Attorney
If you’d like a confidential, no cost consultation with an Okmulgee adoption attorney, call (918) 756-9600 or toll-free (888) Wirth-Law for a low-cost strategy session at the Wirth Law Office – Okmulgee. Or, enter your legal question or concern in the firm at the top right of this page, and one of our attorneys will email or call you.
