Columbus Attorney for Stepparent Adoptions
If you are a stepparent, you may have considered adopting your spouse’s children so you can have full legal rights. The children may also want to take the same name as their mom.
Stepparent adoption can be more complicated than it seems. You must comply with specific statutory requirements to complete the process. You want a family law attorney who knows the law and the process and who can help minimize any problems.
At the law offices of Amy M. Levine & Associates, Attorneys At Law, LLC, we start by listening, taking the time to learn all the details of your situation, so we can help you take the steps necessary to get the outcome you seek. We will carefully explain the law and the process for stepparent adoptions, as well as your options and your likelihood of success, so you always have reasonable expectations. We are skilled and assertive negotiators who can often help you get the results you seek without going to court. Nonetheless, we will aggressively pursue your interests in court if necessary.
Our Columbus adoption attorneys offer a free initial consultation to people considering stepparent adoption. Contact our office or call us at 614-360-2942 in Columbus for an appointment.
Guiding Families Through Adoption
Stepparent adoption can make sense on many levels. As the stepparent, it can help you create a greater sense of family and give you full rights with respect to the child, as well as access to some work-related benefits. As the biological parent, you also want your children to feel part of a single, cohesive unit. As the child, you no longer have to live with the stigma of carrying a different name than the parents with whom you live.
At the law offices of Amy M. Levine & Associates, we handle all matters related to custodial rights and stepparent adoptions, preparing all the documents you need to complete the process, and acting as your advocate with other parties or the court. We have a comprehensive understanding of stepparent adoptions and know how to make certain that you have complied with all statutory requirements.
We can help you with a contested or uncontested stepparent adoption, working with the other parent to obtain a voluntary relinquishment of parental rights, if possible. We are also willing to take the difficult cases, those in which a biological father decides to fight the adoption merely for the sake of fighting it or has been in prison, failed to pay support or maintain regular visitation, or had no meaningful contact with the children.
Though most clients we help with stepparent adoptions are men, we have represented women who sought to adopt their husband’s children, often in situations involving drug abuse or other dangerous behavior by the biological mother.
Contact Amy M. Levine & Associates Today
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact us online or call us at 614-360-2942 in Columbus or at 614-721-7726 in New Albany. Payment plans are available.