Stepparent adoptions are the most common type of adoption in Oregon. For many blended families, a stepparent adoption serves as a legal recognition of the day-to-day reality that a child's real parents are the people caring for them on a regular, consistent basis and that a biological parent has been noticeably absent. Once a stepparent adoption is final, the stepparent, now deemed the legal parent, takes over the legal rights of the biological parent whose rights were relinquished or terminated.
Many people are motivated to modify the legal relationship and wish to complete a stepparent adoption because they are concerned about what might happen to the child in the event the custodial parent became incompetent or died. Under those circumstances, without a stepparent adoption, a child could be forced to live with a formerly absent biological parent that they do not necessarily know or consider a parental figure.
Let Me Help You Make Your Family Legally Whole
I am Shelley L. Fuller, an experienced Beaverton adoption attorney who can immediately help you and your family. I have helped clients adopt their stepchildren and grandchildren for many years. I know how to work in both family court and probate court to help clients obtain custody or guardianship of the children they love.
Stepparent adoptions generally involve either a birth parent consenting to their rights being terminated by signing a Waiver and Consent to Adoption or a court doing so over their absence or objection. Once a birth parent's rights have been terminated, they are no longer responsible for paying child support and have no legal rights to visit the child.
Stepparent adoptions typically take between two and six months to finalize depending on the county in which they are filed. This time period is greatly dependent on a criminal history check being processed quickly by the Oregon State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation on the adoptive parent and the Department of Human Services issuing a letter waiving a home study in the matter.
Contact an Experienced Portland Family Adoption Lawyer Today
At this time, our office generally handles uncontested stepparent adoptions for a flat fee of $1,500, which includes filing fees. Fees for contested adoptions and family adoptions vary depending on the circumstances of the case.
If you would like to become your child's legal parent, because you've always been there and have always been "dad" or "mom," contact my Oregon family law firm today or call my office at 503-626-1808 to schedule a consultation.
