Adoption - An Overview

Adoption is the process by which people who are not a child’s birth parents elect to permanently become the child’s legal parents. After the adoption is complete, the new parents are the only parents recognized by law; they have the same rights and responsibilities as birth parents. If you are interested in growing your family through adoption and you have questions or concerns, please get in touch with Wilkerson Law today to discuss what you can do about eligibility.

Domestic and Overseas Adoption

If you are considering adoption, an experienced lawyer can offer the legal guidance you need. With more than 30 years of experience, our firm has worked with many Kentucky families, as well as with several adoption agencies, to handle domestic/state adoptions and independent or private adoptions.

We can help ensure that all parties involved in the adoption process understand their rights and responsibilities from a legal standpoint. We can also assist with full, complete, and final termination of parental rights by the court - preventing birth parents from attempting to reclaim the child once the adoption is final. We also make sure the appropriate state approvals are obtained, safeguarding your rights as a family from the day the adoption is finalized moving forward.

Open Adoptions vs. Closed Adoptions

In a closed adoption, the adoptive parents and birth parents have no contact with each other after the child is adopted. The term "open adoption" is poorly defined, but it generally means that there is some level of contact between birth parents and adoptive parents after an adoption is completed. Post-adoption contact and communication agreements may be included in the Final Order of Adoption. It is important to work with an adoption attorney who understands how such an agreement may be negotiated, drafted and enforced.

Termination of Parental Rights

Before a child is adopted, the birth parents’ legal ties to the child must be severed. This process can be stressful for adoptive parents who may worry that complications will increase the length of the process or prevent a successful adoption altogether. Having an experienced attorney assist with this process can reduce the stress on the adoptive parents and help ensure that termination of the birth parents’ rights is final and binding.

Adoption Resources

American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law

The American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law works to improve children's lives through advances in law, knowledge, justice, practice and public policy. Its website provides articles and other resources pertaining to children's issues.

Child Welfare Information Gateway

The Child Welfare Information Gateway (formerly known as the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse) provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.

Adoption Tax Credit

Information from the Internal Revenue Service on the federal adoption tax credit.

Medline Plus: Adoption

Gateway resource providing information on various adoption questions, including how to select an adoption agency, things to consider when adopting children with mental or physical disabilities, costs of adoption and resources for financial assistance, adoption statistics, foster care and more.