Adoption Attorneys in Lexington, SC

Growing your family through adoption changes more than just your life. It changes the lives of children waiting for families to call their own. Despite South Carolina encouraging adoption, there are still significant legal barriers to welcoming a child into your home. Let the compassionate Lexington adoption lawyers at Kinard Law Group be your legal advocates throughout this process.

Adoption Options Recognized in South Carolina

If you’re over 21 and reside in S.C., you might qualify to adopt a child. South Carolina recognizes the following types of adoptions:

• Private Placement: These adoptions, often facilitated by an attorney or private adoption agency, involve the voluntary placement of a child with the adoptive couple by the child’s biological parents. These can involve children in South Carolina or another state.
• Foster Care: Couples or individuals might also adopt children directly from foster care, which often involves children whose parents no longer have parental rights. Certain family and community members have the first right to adopt foster children, and even these selfless adoptions can be highly contentious.
• Stepparent Adoptions: If you’re legally married to one of the child’s biological parents and the other biological parent has passed away or no longer has parental rights, a family lawyer in Lexington might help you file for stepparent adoption.
• Adult Adoption: South Carolina recognizes adult adoption, which allows you to adopt another adult (someone over the age of 18) with his or her consent.
• International Adoption: This complex process involves adopting a child from another country. Even if you’re related to the child, you need an experienced international adoption lawyer to help you obtain the necessary immigration paperwork and approvals from South Carolina, the federal government, and the child’s birth nation.

Additionally, S.C. allows for both open, semi-open, and closed adoptions. This gives biological parents the option of remaining in the child’s life after terminating their parental rights. An experienced adoption lawyer in Lexington might help both prospective adoptees and parents looking to place a child for adoption understand their rights and options.

Basic Adoption Timelines and Legal Procedures in Lexington

Not all adoptions are easy. The South Carolina Adoption Act and state foster care laws give certain caregivers preference. Adoption also requires the voluntary or involuntary termination of both biological parents’ rights. South Carolina does not have a parental consent ‘revocation period’ during which biological parents can change their mind after terminating their parental rights. However, adoption still takes time.

The Lexington Family Court must determine whether each adoptive parent is fit and might require special home studies and court appearances. It’s always beneficial to work with our experienced adoption law firm to discuss the specific laws applicable to your case.

Call Our Adoption Lawyers in Lexington, S.C.

Let the dedicated adoption advocates at Kinard Law Group help your family grow. Discuss the benefits of working with legal counsel to facilitate foster care, private, and international adoptions in Lexington with our experienced South Carolina adoption lawyers today. Call (803) 359-1003 or connect with our domestic relations attorney online to schedule a consultation.