Adoptions
Making your new family official through the adoption process should be a reason for celebration. In too many cases, however, the adoption process becomes a contentious experience for parents who want to do what is best for their children.
As a full-service family law firm, The Law Office of Daniel P. Webb, assists clients throughout Hood County and Tarrant County with their adoption needs. Individuals who want nothing but the best for their children should have zealous, experienced representation on their side to ensure that the adoption process goes smoothly. We work diligently and efficiently to help families complete this important step with as little delay and disagreement as possible. It is important that you trust the attorney you hire to know how to effectively and efficiently navigate the waters of adoption cases.
Building Families
Adopting a child brings happiness to families, but a biological parent’s change of heart or an immigration fiasco can turn a joyous occasion into a nightmare. Paul R. Rotenberry handles the complex legal procedures and frustrating red tape of the adoption process so you can focus on your new family member. Paul has 17 years experience successfully handling such issues as:
- Termination of parental rights
- Paternity registry
- Open adoptions
- Closed adoptions
- Private adoptions
- Domestic adoptions
- International adoptions
- Step-parent adoptions
Termination of Parental Rights
Stories abound about birth parents challenging an adoption after it is finalized. These well-publicized news accounts reflect a real fear for adoptive parents. The suffering associated with a badly-handled adoption affects everybody involved — the adoptive parents, the birth parents and the children who are caught in the middle.
Paternity Registry
The biological father has the same rights as the biological mother to decide whether to voluntarily terminate parental rights. Texas laws seek to balance the father’s rights with the well-being of the child through a paternity registry.
The process prevents the unsettling disruption of a child’s life caused by a father’s parental claims after the adoption’s finalization. A man who knows — or believes — he is the father of a child can apply to the putative father registry to receive notices of judicial proceedings related to the child, including those associated with the adoption process. We take all necessary steps to confirm that the father provides consent or that no father is registered with the database.
An open adoption agreement permits the biological family to maintain a relationship with the child. The terms of the agreement are established by written contract and can include any level of involvement ranging from regular visits to yearly snapshots exchanged by mail. A closed adoption protects the identity of the biological parents and the child, but may include disclosure of essential information such as the child’s heritage and medical history. Whichever type of adoption you choose, we meticulously draft a contract that reflects the terms of your adoption.
Types of Adoption
International adoptions present unique challenges. Also called inter-country adoptions, the process involves a complex web of laws and policies, including Texas, U.S., U.S. immigration, the child’s country of birth and the Hague Adoption Convention.
In all adoptions my goal is to help you bring your child home as soon as legally possible.