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Domestic agency adoption
Most people seeking a healthy infant adopt through private adoption agencies. Each agency sets its own criteria for adoptive families. Agencies generally provide pictorial biographies to birth parents, who select the adoptive family. There is often a birth meeting between birth parents and adoptive parents. Our firm can assist you in (a) identifying licensed, reputable agencies; (b) contract review and interpretation; (c) evaluation of risk factors in potential placements; and (d) filing the petition and obtaining a final decree of adoption.Interstate adoption
If you are “matched” with a child born in another state, you must comply with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children prior to bringing the baby home. Our office can provide pre-birth assistance to insure that the legal requirements of the sending and receiving states are timely satisfied.Inter-country adoption
If you adopt or obtain guardianship of a child born in a foreign country, it is sometimes necessary and always advisable to complete or repeat adoption proceedings in your home state as well. We work with adoptive families prior to and after placement to ensure a secure and final adoption.Private direct placement by birth parent
Of the estimated 30,000 annual domestic infant adoptions, at least half are completed independently of an adoption agency. Many families locate the birth mother through their own private networking. Our office can assist you in screening potential adoption situations, arranging for appropriate medical or financial assistance for the birthmother, and obtaining necessary court orders in Georgia.Relative adoption
Many loving grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings find themselves caring for children whose parents are deceased, disabled, or who have abandoned their parental responsibilities. The “claiming” of a child is a powerful process. Our office can assess the likelihood of successful adoption, even without the consent of the absent parent.Stepparent adoption
Often, after a custodial parent or a single parent marries, the new spouse becomes the de facto parent of the child. Stepparent adoption is a means for the stepparent to “claim” the child as his or her own, and can effect a name change so that the adopted child’s surname is the same as the rest of his family. Our office can assess the likelihood of successful stepparent adoption, even without the consent of the non-custodial parent.Grandparent visitation
Georgia law provides a mechanism whereby loving grandparents can seek court-ordered visitation with their grandchildren. Generally, this avenue is open only where there is some crisis in the child’s nuclear family and provides a means whereby grandparents can monitor a child’s situation through regular contact.Birth mother representation
Our office regularly represents birthmothers who seek guidance and advice in dealing with a crisis pregnancy. We provide free, no obligation consultation and advice on adoption and on the options for single parenting if a woman chooses to parent her child. Upon request, we can assist in networking with licensed agencies and attorneys throughout the United States to locate the optimal adoptive family.Guardianship
In many cases, a birthparent struggles to care for a child, but an adoption plan is premature. We can assist in obtaining guardianship orders that will not terminate a birth parent’s rights, but will insure that temporary legal custody is vested in a responsible individual until the birthparent is able to reassume responsibility.Estate planning
As a family grows, it becomes necessary to make provisions for new dependants through estate planning. Ms. Redwine can assist in developing wills, living wills, trusts and other estate planning documents appropriate to each family’s circumstances.Immigration benefits of adoption
Orphans adopted abroad through accredited adoption professionals generally enter the United States with an IR3 or IR4 orphan visa. IR3 designation means the child becomes a citizen automatically upon entering the U.S. IR4 designation means the child becomes a citizen upon the entry of a final decree of adoption in the United States. Our office can assist you in documenting your child’s status as a U.S. citizen.In many cases, U.S. citizens want to adopt foreign-born children (nieces, nephew, grandchildren or non-relatives), at least in part to obtain immigration benefits for those children. Immediate relative immigration benefits may be available to children adopted by U.S. citizens if a final decree of adoption is entered before the child turns 16, or if two or more siblings are adopted before the elder child turns 18 and before the younger turns 16.