Texas Child Adoption Attorney
Adoption and Parental Rights Termination
Adoption
Child adoption is a very happy occasion for most parents. Even so, the legal hurdles involved with adoption are often technical and problematic, which is why skilled legal help is essential. Tarrant County lawyer V. Wayne Ward has more than twenty-five years experience in assisting families with legal matters and can help to ensure that adoption goes smoothly. We have connections with a network of social workers who also do their part in expediting adoptions.
Types of Adoptions
Most of the adoptions we handle involve stepparent adoption. However, we welcome any type of adoption, and our versatility extends to the following types:
- Foreign Adoption –Single or married couples can adopt foreign children through an agency or privately. There are state, federal and international regulations that must be followed when adopting a child from another country.
- Private Adoption –Adoption arrangements are made directly with the biological mother without going through an agency.
- Agency Adoption –Adoptive parents use a public or private adoption agency to have a child placed in their care.
- Stepparent Adoption – Subsequent to divorce, a new spouse adopts the child with a previous parent.
- Inter-family Adoption – As a result of inability to care for the child, divorce, death or other causes, other family members such as aunts, uncles, grandparents or brothers and sisters may adopt children.
Parental Rights Termination
Texas law is designed to protect parent/child relationships, which is why the burden of proof is high for terminating parental rights. In order for stepparent adoption to occur, a parent must give up his or her rights to the child or evidence must be presented that shows parental rights should be terminated. Conditions for terminating parental rights that are acceptable in a court of law mainly revolve around child abandonment or extreme parental negligence in caring for the child. Contested parental rights termination cases are difficult, and few lawyers are willing to take on the challenge. At V. Wayne Ward we have handled numerous parental rights termination cases. Allow us to put our considerable experience to work on your behalf.
If you are looking to adopt a child or are pursuing a case involving parental rights termination, call the Fort Worth Law Office of V. Wayne Ward at (817) 332-1172 to arrange a confidential consultation.