Adoption Attorneys Serving West Chester, Mason and Lebanon in Ohio

Our adoptions lawyers can help you connect with an infant needing a loving home

Adoption is a process that creates a legal parent-child relationship between you and a child. It is a complicated procedure that often requires the confidential and expert counsel of trustworthy family law attorneys like ours at Ernst & Associates. Our firm has consistently achieved the desired result for many families seeking to adopt children in southwest Ohio. We have represented adoptive parents in West Chester, Mason, Lebanon and the surrounding areas.

Adoption can be arranged either by attorneys or through agencies. Our family law lawyers have extensive experience in finding suitable children and arranging adoptions. Children of all ages, located domestically or internationally, are available for adoption. Foster parents, step-parents, grandparents and other relatives may also choose to adopt children who are already in their care. In all cases, the biological parents must consent to terminate their parental rights, although an exception can be made where a parent is unfit or has had no contact with the child.

Answering questions such as how long does it take for adoption lawyers to connect you with an infant

Our skilled West Chester, Ohio family law and divorce attorneys also excel in the field of adoption. Adoptions can be legally complex, and may involve a tremendous amount of detailed paperwork and strict compliance with Ohio laws. This is particularly the case when the child is from out of state or out of the country, where families need to comply with rules from other states, international laws and our own country’s federal laws.

Technical issues associated with adopting

Ohio law provides for both open and closed adoptions:

• In an open adoption, the birth parent knows the adoptive family and sometimes even has their contact information.
• In a closed adoption, the birth parent does not know the adoptive family, and the names of the parties remain confidential.

Every adoption must be preceded by a home study conducted by an adoption agency, if an agency is used, or by the court’s assessor. The purpose of a home study is to ascertain if the adoptive parents have the necessary skills and are suitable parents to ensure the child is being placed in a loving and stable home. The agency or assessor conducts personal interviews with the prospective parents, and criminal background and reference checks are also performed. The agency and assessor may visit your home and investigate your finances, education and health background. Our staff of innovative and caring family law attorneys can assist you in preparing for a successful home study and help you navigate the many stages of the adoption process.

Guiding adoptive parents to the fulfillment of a dream

Ernst & Associates has more than 25 years of experience in adoptions, serving prospective parents in West Chester, Mason, Lebanon and other areas in Ohio. We can guide you through the steps to make your hopes of parenthood a reality. We make sure that your rights are protected in the adoption process, and take care that the rights of the birth parent(s) are protected as well. Where an adoption is contested, we have the litigation background and negotiating skills to advocate successfully for you. Contact us online or by telephone at 513-970-6200 to make your adoption dream a reality.