Adoptions are one of the joys of practicing law. An adoption is when parental rights are transferred from one or both of the birth parents to the adoptive parents. The adoptive parents are entitled to all rights and obligations of the natural parent and become legally responsible for the child. A new birth certificate is issued for the child and has the adoptive parents’ names as the child’s mother and father. The original birth certificate is sealed and can only be accessed by court order and is sealed.
There are two types of adoptions 1) intra-family adoptions or relative adoptions and 2) unrelated adoptions. Unrelated adoptions can be open or closed. Open adoption means the adoptive and birth parents keep in contact after the adoption. If the parties involved in the adoption do not know one another or do not remain in touch, this is a closed adoption.
To adopt in Illinois, the party must reside in Illinois for at least six months prior to commencing the adoption proceedings.
To adopt a child under the age of fourteen, the child's birth parents must voluntarily give up their parental rights by signing a document relinquishing all legal rights to the child. Parental rights can also be terminated involuntarily if the parents are declared unfit by the court. A party seeking to adopt a child over the age of fourteen must have the child's consent.
Adopting a child is one of the most rewarding feelings a person can experience. We are committed to helping you start or expand your family. We are proud of our adoption practice and will walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have. We welcome your business and you can rest assured your matter will be competently and professionally handled.
