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Building your family through adoption is a meaningful transition that deserves celebration. The process of adoption, however, can become overwhelming without the proper support. Working with a seasoned Cincinnati adoption lawyer helps you manage this process more easily. They can help you meet the requirements and adhere to all legal guidelines, allowing you to focus on you or your growing family.

Creating Families Through Adoption

Through the years, attorneys Ellen Essig, Rebecca Zemmelman, Amanda Kreinbrink and Ross Evans have assisted clients in thousands of adoption matters and are experienced in all aspects of adoption law. Our legal team has decades of legal experience in family and adoption law. The adoption team at The Family Law and Fertility Law Group routinely serves as counsel to birth parents, adoptive parents, and private adoption agencies. We can give you the guidance and support you need.

It is important to work with a Cincinnati adoption attorney who carves out a significant portion of their practice to focus solely on adoption law. When you hire an adoption lawyer at our firm, our attorneys can help you navigate the intricacies of your unique adoption.

Types of Adoption Our Firm Handles

It is estimated that over 100,000 children are adopted in the U.S. each year across the many types of adoptions. We have the experience and knowledge required to guide you through all matters of adoption, including:

  • Step-parent adoptions. These adoptions occur when an adult adopts a child after marrying the child’s biological and legal parent. In Ohio, these adoptions have fewer legal requirements compared to other forms of adoption. However, there are still important steps to the process that need to be navigated properly.
  • Private adoptions (open and closed). Private adoptions are managed directly between biological parents and adoptive parents. In many Ohio courts, an attorney is required for these adoptions. An attorney helps you manage the legal requirements of this process, whether it is an open or closed adoption.
  • Agency adoptions. If your match is secured through an adoption agency, an adoption attorney is still required in order to finalize the adoption through the Probate Court. The attorney is typically involved following the matching process, and there are fewer hearings required through the court.
  • Re-adoption. The readoption process may be necessary when you adopt a child internationally, and you want to affirm that adoption in the U.S. This helps assert your parental rights, provide a U.S. birth certificate, and prevent complications if changes in international law or relations impact your child’s adoption status. Our experienced team can help you navigate domestic readoption.
  • Adult adoptions. Ohio also allows adult adoptions in specific circumstances. This includes if the adult is permanently disabled or has a developmental disability, if the parties established a caregiver relationship when the adult was a minor, or if the adult is the child of the spouse of the adopting party and the adult consents to the adoption.

It also includes whether the adult was in the custody of a public or private child services agency when they turned 18, and they consented to the adoption. These adoptions can be essential for giving a young adult the care and support they need.

  • Interstate adoptions. These are adoptions where birth parent(s) are in one state and the adoptive parents are in another. They can be more complicated than other private adoptions, because the laws of both states can affect the process. There may be numerous different requirements, and all have to be followed. Our experienced team can help you manage this process, assess Ohio adoption laws, and connect you with the relevant resources to complete the adoption.
  • Contested adoptions. A contested adoption occurs when a biological parent objects to the Petition for Adoption, arguing that their consent is required under Ohio Law.

Our team can help you navigate these cases, whether you are the petitioner or the party objecting to the adoption.

Adoption can be a very nuanced process, and it is crucial that it be handled correctly, so that you can focus on caring for yourself or your family without worry.

We can aid you in creating the adoption petition with the necessary information, preparing for the adoption hearing, assessing your family’s readiness for a home study, and helping you navigate any other steps required to finalize an adoption.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Average Cost to Adopt a Child in Ohio?

A: The average cost to adopt a child in Ohio varies heavily on the type of adoption. Some adoptions are more expensive, such as interstate adoptions. Working with an adoption attorney can be costly, but it can help the process, and in some cases, it is required in Ohio. It should be noted that many families are eligible to take advantage of the federal tax credit for adoptions and adoption grants to help offset the cost.

Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Attorney for Adoption?

A: The cost to hire an attorney for adoption varies on the attorney and the specifics of your case. When possible, an adoption will be charged as a flat fee, but that is not always appropriate depending on the matter.

Hire an Adoption Lawyer at The Family Law and Fertility Law Group in Cincinnati

At The Family Law and Fertility Law Group, our family and adoption law attorneys can give you the compassionate and straightforward legal guidance you need. Our team of attorneys consists of Rebecca Zemmelman, Ellen Essig, Amanda Kreinbrink and Ross Evans. We know how important these cases are for your family and your future.

Schedule a consultation if you are seeking representation in a prospective or pending adoption.