Adoption Lawyer in Temple

Expanding Your Family Through Adoption

Adoption is one of the happiest moments in any family’s life. It is one that we enjoy at Young Law Firm as well. Whether it is adopting a stepchild or adopting a child in need of a loving family, our attorney is dedicated to guiding you through the complexities of adoption law here in Texas.

With more than 30 years of legal experience, attorney Barbara Young strives to minimize the impact this complicated and often lengthy process has upon children and their anxious parents. We go through this process step by step with you, providing guidance based on firsthand experience and an understanding of the law.

What are the Adoption Laws in Texas?

Adoption is a legal arrangement that involves more than just signing the papers. Generally speaking, any adult can adopt a child, although those 12 and older have to give their consent. There is an extensive amount of paperwork to fill out and a series of studies/reports done by social workers, with possible hearings. Texas law states that a child can be adopted if the living parents of the child have had their rights terminated or have encountered a lawsuit that terminated their biological rights. A termination of parental rights can happen either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Stepparent Adoption in Texas

A stepparent may request to adopt a child even without terminating the rights of the biological parents. The biological parent who marries the stepparent may still keep their parental rights, however the rights of the other biological parent must be terminated to allow for the adoptive parent to move forward.

Parental Consent vs No Parental Consent

If the child is at least 2 years old, an adult can adopt them if one of the biological parents has had their parental rights terminated and the other biological parent consents to the adoption.

If parental consent has not been given, a child that is at least 2 years old can still be adopted if:

• One of the biological parents has had their parental rights terminated
• The individual seeking the adoption is the child’s former stepparent or has had actual care of the child for a period of one year before filing for adoption.

Other Kinds of Adoption

Our lawyer can also help with a number of other kinds of adoption:

• Recognition of international adoptions that have already occurred abroad
• Adoption of adults, such as aged-out former foster children
• Contested adoptions, during or after the fact

Parents in Texas have many options regarding how they want to expand their family. Our experienced guidance can help ensure that it happens in a timely manner with the least amount of stress possible.

Set up an appointment by calling our Temple office at (254) 327-1884. You can also send us a message for a prompt response.