Defending Stepparent And Parental Rights Through Adoption

Successfully completing an adoption is one of the most joyful events any family can experience. Find an experienced lawyer who cares about your case to make sure your adoption is completed successfully. At Claridge Law Firm LLC in Augusta, Georgia, we provide personal, friendly, experienced and affordable legal service.

Our attorneys strive to resolve all of our clients’ legal matters in a timely manner. You won’t have to wait any longer than is necessary for your adoption to be complete. To schedule a consultation with one of our lawyers, call us today at 706-860-4500 or contact our offices online.

Requirements For Stepparent Adoptions

A child can only have one legal parent of one sex at any given time. So, for example, if a stepfather wants to adopt his wife’s child from a prior marriage, they will first have to terminate the parental rights of the biological father.

Usually, in order to terminate someone’s parental rights, that parent either must agree to the termination, must be a very unfit parent or must be entirely absent from the child’s life. This is because the state of Georgia recognizes that each parent has a fundamental right to contribute to the upbringing of his or her child.

To prove that a parent is absent, you need to conduct a fairly robust search. For a parent to be considered unfit, he or she must have regular run-ins with the law. A parent who is constantly in and out of prison may not be considered fit to raise a child.

Reasonable Rates – Consultations

Because we are a small law firm with fairly low overhead, we are able to charge competitive rates for our clients. In addition, we also offer initial consultations. To schedule a consultation to discuss adoption with a lawyer at Claridge Law Firm LLC, call us today at 706-860-4500 or contact our offices online.