Overview

The attorneys at Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. have a strong commitment to assist, counsel, and represent clients and their families through the adoption process in Jacksonville (Duval County), Florida, and the surrounding counties of Clay, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns. Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. has completed many forms of of adoption services for families including identified adoptions, interstate adoptions, international adoptions, step-parent adoptions and grandparent & family adoptions. Commitment, compliance,and communication are the three keys to a successful adoption and our firm will provide each party to the adoption a thorough and comprehensive adoption plan to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.

Beginning the Adoption Process

The adoption process begins when a birth mother hires an adoption professional and expresses her preferences regarding the adoptive family. These preferences range from religious preferences to family size and geographical location. Once the birth mother decides on her desired characteristics of the adoptive family, the birth mother is provided with a list of prospective adoptive families and provided photos and backgrounds that have been made available by each of the prospective adoptive families. Once the birth mother has chosen the adoptive family, the adoptive family and the birth mother have open communication during the pregnancy.

Types of Adoptions - Open Adoptions and Closed Adoptions

There are two types of adoptions in the adoption process: open adoptions or closed adoptions.

Open Adoptions

In an open adoption, the birth mother and the adoptive family communicate openly and exchange personal background information including medical background information. The birth mother can plan letters for the adoptive family to give to the child as the child gets older. Additionally, the birth mother may give the adoptive family information such as her social security number, address and phone number so the adoptive family can contact the birth mother in the future. The birth mother can also register with the Florida Reunion Registry so that the child may readily find the birth mother in the future. If the birth mother and the adoptive family prefer, they can have a closed adoption instead of an open adoption.

Closed Adoptions

In closed adoptions the birth mother and the adoptive family have little to no contact during the pregnancy and exchange little to no background information or medical or personal information. The adoption professional normally chooses the adoptive family for the birth mother, and the two adoption parties have no further contact.

Step-Parent Adoptions

At Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A., we recognize that step-parents often times form a strong bond and loving bond with the child. The step-parent then desires to adopt the child as his or her own. The act of a step-parent adopting the child gives the relationship a legal status with inheritance rights attached. For step-parent adoptions, the courts must be presented with evidence to show that the biological parent's parental rights should be terminated. Such evidence must show that either the biological parent abandoned the child or did not safeguard their parental rights. The biological parent can consent to the termination of parental rights and to the step-parent adoption.

In non-step-parent adoptions, the normal time frame to complete the adoption process is anywhere from 3 to 12 months. However, in a step-parent adoption, the adoptive parent is able to immediately finalize the adoption because no home study is required and they can finalize the adoption much quicker.

Grandparent and Relative Adoptions

Grandparents and close relatives of a child often times provide a stable, loving home life for the child in lieu of the child's actual birth parents. In these cases, grandparents or close relatives may consider a grandparent adoption / family adoption or temporary custody by extended family for a period of time. Grandparent adoptions or close relative adoptions give relatives the right to take on the custody and control of the child. These types of adoptions give the family the ability to seek medical attention for the child, to enroll the child in school and to openly communicate with teachers and administrators about the child's welfare. Without a temporary custody over the child or an adoption, the extended family will most likely be prevented from receiving any information regarding the child from schools, medical centers and the like.

Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. - Commitment to Families Building Families

Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. is committed to helping families build families. If you have a question or issue regarding Identified Adoptions, Interstate Adoptions, International Adoptions, Step-parent Adoptions, Grandparent or Close Relative Adoptions and Surrogacy Plans, We also assist in matching birth mothers with adoptive parents.

If you have an adoption question or need, please call us at 355-8888 or contact us online.