Adoption
Montana Attorneys Manage the Legal Aspects of Adoption
KNOWLEDGEABLE LAWYERS HELP CLIENTS ADD TO THEIR FAMILIES
Adopting a child should be a joyous experience, but a biological parent’s change of heart or an immigration setback can turn it into a stressful ordeal. At Lonnevik Law Firm, PC, our family law attorneys have substantial experience handling the complex legal procedures and often frustrating red tape of the adoption process for our clients in the Flathead Valley. We provide the guidance you need to navigate the process and fulfill all requirements so you can focus on welcoming your new family member.
PROVEN ADVOCATES HANDLE A RANGE OF ADOPTIONS
At Lonnevik Law Firm, PC, we represent clients in the following areas of adoption:
- Termination of parental rights
- Paternity registry
- Open adoptions
- Closed adoptions
- Private adoptions
- Domestic adoptions
- Stepparent adoptions
We understand the requirements that must be met in these situations and will advise you on what you must do to meet them. Our family law attorneys provide reliable counsel throughout the process.
DEDICATED ATTORNEYS ASSIST WITH TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS
The fear that birth parents may challenge an adoption after it is finalized is a real one for adoptive parents. The suffering associated with a badly handled adoption affects everyone involved — the adoptive parents, the birth parents and the children who are caught in the middle. At Lonnevik Law Firm, PC, we ensure that both the birth and adoptive parents’ rights are respected so that the end result is a final adoption that cannot be challenged. We will substantiate that the birth parents consent to the adoption freely and voluntarily to avoid claims of fraud, duress and coercion that can be grounds for restoring a birth parent’s rights.
SKILLED COUNSELORS HELP CLIENTS OVERCOME A BIOLOGICAL PARENT'S RESISTANCE TO AN ADOPTION
The biological father has the same parental rights as the biological mother, especially if he is named in the state’s putative father registry and has provided support for the child. Parents who are active in their children’s lives are generally opposed to adoption, whereas uninterested parents may be more willing to surrender parental rights voluntarily to be free from support obligations. When a biological parent resists the idea of adoption, a court might terminate the parent’s parental rights if the parent is an unfit parent and severing the parent-child relationship is in the best interests of the child. Our skillful attorneys take all necessary steps to identify biological parent and obtain their consent, or, when necessary and proper, litigate the matter of the parent’s fitness.
ESTABLISHED FIRM HANDLES VARIOUS TYPES OF DOMESTIC ADOPTION
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 agreed to, 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 you approve.
Contact our skilled Montana adoption attorneys
Adoption has the potential to bring your family great joy, but only if you can handle all the legal requirements. Lonnevik Law Firm, PC in Montana provides dependable legal counsel for clients in Kalispell seeking to adopt. Call 406-257-3350 or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our office.