A Washington State Newborn Adoption Attorney
Starting a family is a dream for many, and for some, that dream can feel out of reach at times. Our Pierce County law firm, Christina T. Sherman, PLLC, is entirely dedicated to adoption and surrogacy law. Founded by Christina T. Sherman, a credentialed Academy of Adoption Assisted and Assisted Reproduction Attorney (AAAA), she has been helping Washington families with ethical and legally complex adoptions and surrogacy agreements for decades.
She can help you make your dream of family formation a reality through newborn adoption. Ethical adoption ensures that the rights of all parties to the adoption are secure and protected and that we are working together to guard the best interests of our infant adoptees.
Comprehensive Legal Guidance Throughout The Adoption Process
Our experienced adoption lawyer will work closely with our clients through every stage of a newborn adoption, including:
- Choosing an adoption type: With a newborn adoption, you could seek an international, domestic or interstate adoption.
- Completing a home study: A home study is a prerequisite to adoption.
- Finding a match: Some people work with agencies that find mothers, whereas other people self-match or hire an adoption lawyer to facilitate the search.
- Adoption agreements: It is paramount that you work with an ethical adoption lawyer to ensure that the rights of all parties are safeguarded in the delicate process of making an adoption plan.
- Navigating the legal process: There is quite a bit of legwork involved, including obtaining temporary custody orders, terminating parental rights and agreeing upon the natural parents’ level of contact with the child post-adoption, among other issues. An experienced adoption attorney can help you facilitate the legalities.
- Finalizing the adoption: Filing an adoption petition will finalize the adoption process.
Some types of newborn adoptions require additional legal steps. For example, in an international adoption, you will need to secure the appropriate visas to travel to another country and bring a child to the United States.
What Is The Difference Between An Open Adoption And A Closed Adoption?
Once upon a time, all adoptions were closed. As a holdover to this tradition, to this day, all adoption court files are sealed and not available to the public. The adoptive parents never mentioned the word “adoption,” and children were surprised to learn in adulthood that they had been adopted. Natural mothers and adoptive parents typically didn’t even meet.
Today, a closed adoption is rare. Many parents instead opt for “open” adoptions, in which the natural mother (and sometimes fathers) have ongoing contact with the adoptive parents and their children. This contact can include phone calls and emails and continues even after the child is placed with the adoptive parents.
Through open adoption, the natural mother maintains some sort of presence in the child’s life. This presence can take many forms. For example, it can include email exchanges with parents, exchanging birthday cards with the child and even in-person visits.
Many natural mothers are requesting open adoption, and they won’t choose a family that doesn’t agree to continue contact. Our adoption lawyer can discuss all of these options in greater depth. Parents who agree to an open adoption should identify what type of contact is expected and incorporate these expectations into a valid, written contract.
The Advantages Of A Domestic Newborn Adoption
According to the National Council for Adoption, 1,844 adoptions in Washington in 2020 were domestic. There are advantages to adopting within the United States. Reduced travel and expense are the primary reasons people choose a domestic adoption.
Adopting Across State Lines With Interstate Adoption
Looking outside Washington for a child to adopt makes sense, even though Washington has experienced some of the highest birth rates in the country. It’s easier to find an adoptable child when you cast a wider net. Looking for a child to adopt out of state expands the pool of potential natural mothers, but it also adds significant complications.
Every state is a signatory to the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC). Under the ICPC, a child may not leave their home state until that state and the receiving state both provide formal approval. This means that it is possible for adoptive parents to have a long wait before they may return home with their infant.
At Christina T. Sherman, PLLC, our adoption lawyer is well-versed in ICPC adoptions and requirements. We will be prepared well in advance for the ICPC process, work to expedite the ICPC approval process and get you home with your new baby as soon as possible.
Newborn Agency Adoptions
There are many adoption agencies that facilitate domestic adoptions and match parents. Prospective parents can work with an agency, either in Washington or another state. These agencies actively look for natural mothers and then help connect them to prospective adoptive parents. Agencies also have lawyers on staff who handle legal work and coordinate the required home study.
Independent Newborn Adoptions
However, you can also choose to work independently to find a natural mother through your own personal networks of family and friends. An experienced adoption attorney can also help facilitate an independent search for a baby to adopt. At Christina T. Sherman, PLLC, for independent adoptions, we can:
- Hire a social worker to perform the home study
- Draft and review all legal agreements
- Actively search for natural mothers. We can also help you create a “family profile,” which might be a website or binder that contains helpful information about you and your spouse.
Our firm’s adoption lawyer has helped hundreds of clients through the adoption process. We can walk you through the various options and then provide essential legal services to make your dream a reality.
Contact Our Washington Adoption Attorneys Today
Our legal team is committed to helping our clients realize their dreams of adding to their families. Adoption is more complicated than many people realize. We can simplify the process and ensure you understand all your options before you begin. Call our firm at 253-466-2775 or contact us online today to speak with an experienced adoption attorney who has dedicated her legal career to helping families grow through adoption and surrogacy.
