There are few things that lawyers or judges do that is happier than finalizing a permanent placement for a child. On the other hand, adoptions can sometimes seem very scarey. Many people do not follow through with their interest in adopting because of concerns about whether the birth parents would try to regain custody and whether the costs of the adoption would be affordable. Permanent placements can result from quite a few different situations, from relative and step-parent adoptions to private adoptions of newborns where the birth family and adoptive family don’t know each other. We strive to educate our clients to all the ups and downs, and ins and outs of adoption, and to help guide them on the path to starting or enlarging their family.
For the most part, we represent those wanting to adopt, whether they are single parents, step-parents, grandparents, or couples starting their own families.
Changing Minds
While a smooth adoption can be a joy from beginning to end, those aren’t the ones that we sometimes read about in the newspaper or hear about on TV. Unfortunately, there are a very small number of adoptions that are handled poorly one way or another and those are the ones that get publicity. We have 25 years of experience in doing everything we can to make our adoption placements as smooth as possible.
In Florida, the law provides that adoption consents for newborns generally cannot be executed until 48 hours after the birth of the baby. But once the consent for adoption is executed, it cannot be revoked unless there was some fraud or duress involving in obtaining it. The consent is valid and effective immediately; there is no three day or three month “waiting period,” as so many people seem to think. And it’s our job to make sure that the consents are obtained properly, and in as comfortable a manner as possible.
Costs for Adoption
You probably knew we were going to say that every case is different, and that is true. But we can say that the legal fees and costs for most private adoptions of newborns are in the range of about $7,500 to $15,000. The things that most often affect the overall costs include the point of pregnancy at which a match is made, and the extent of the needs of the birth parents for help with living expenses or medical expenses.
Costs for all other types of adoptions seldom exceed $1,500 or so. But, again, situations are different, and a step-parent adoption which requires a good bit of searching for an absent parent can be more costly.
Relative Adoptions
If you have taken in your grandchild or other relative, or have been providing care to a relative of your family and want to make the situation permanent, we can help you. A common statistic of this new millennium is that more and more family members — especially grandparents — are raising another family member’s children. If you are interested in learning more about making permanent what may originally have been intended to be just a temporary living situation, we can do that, too.
Step-Parent Adoptions
Today, the adoption of children by their step-parents is becoming more common than ever. The Swanson legal team can make your step-family a blended one by assisting you with the formal adoption of step-children. This is a serious emotional and legal step to take; one that should not be taken lightly, either by the biological parent or by the step-parent. When such an adoption is finalized, the step-parent’s legal rights and responsibilities toward the adoption child are exactly the same as are the biological parent’s. Thus, if a mother and step-father, for example, were to be divorced later, the step-father might be the one to receive custody of the child, or the step-parent might end up paying child support for several years to support the adopted child. We want to be sure the parties understand the finality of this type of adoption.
But, when it’s good, it’s good; and we will help you do it right. Of course, we need to obtain the absent parent’s consent, or be able to have a legal reason to excuse that consent. If the parent has passed away, finalizing a step-parent adoption is pretty straightforward. But otherwise, we may have to locate the other parent, and determine if he or she has any objection to the adoption. Even if there is an objection, the adoption may still be able to be completed - depending upon the circumstances. If the parent has abandoned the child by failing to visit with, contact or support the child for a significant period of time, that parent’s consent may be waived. But it’s important to talk with us to determine whether this might be the case for you.
Private Adoptions
Private adoption can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride. Couples or single persons looking to adopt experience a myriad of emotions from the first day they start thinking about adoption. While private adoption is something of a financial and emotional risk, our experienced legal team is always there to help you understand what is happening. We work closely with adoptive couples and sometimes with birth parents (or they may have an attorney of their own). Private 
adoption placement allows birth parents and adoptive parents to make their own match, to meet the other parties if all want to do that, and to allow these two sides of the adoption triangle (the child is the third side) to have input and some control over the adoption process.
Our firm acts as an adoption entity under Florida law. We have a legal relationship with the adopting parent or parents and a close relationship with birth parents in some situations. We assist everyone involved in an adoption to make the most comfortable placement decisions. We work within the law to encourage birth parents to receive counseling, to provide for reasonable and necessary living and medical expenses, and to facilitate an exchange of information at the level that is comfortable for all.
We have been handling private adoptions for 25 years, and have hundreds of success stories. When occasionally a birthmother may change her mind and decide not to place her child for adoption, we help our adoptive parents recognize that her decision to parent is the right decision for her at that time. There is always another child waiting for that “forever family.”
Interstate Adoption Placements
The Swanson legal team is well equipped and knowledgeable when it comes to handling the interstate placement of a child for adoption. Whether you reside in the State of Florida and are adopting an infant from another state, or you reside in a different state and are adopting a child born in the State of Florida, we can help you! We have handled many placements from and to other states and work directly with your agency or other attorney and with the Interstate Compact Offices in both states to finalize your adoption pursuant to Florida law.
Adult Adoptions
Do you have an adult step-child or other important person in your life who wants to become a permanent part of your family? Did you know that you can make that relationship legally permanent through adoption? We can also help you with these situations.
Foreign "Finalizations"
If you have adopted a child from a foreign country, we can help you domesticate your foreign adoption. This is usually required by the agency who facilitated your foreign adoption, and may be a legal requirement to allow you to bring the child home. If you are a resident of the State of Florida and have not yet obtained your Certificate of Foreign Birth for your adopted child, call us today and put this minor detail behind you. While we do not specialize or practice in the area of immigration law, we can help you with the domestication of your foreign adoption and get you one step closer to tying up all the loose ends and attending to the details of your foreign adoption.
Placements Made Through Dept. Of Children and Families
If you are adopting a child though the State of Florida Department of Children and Families, you need to finalize that adoption in court. We handle these types of adoptions, also, and will work with you to obtain payment for fees through the State of Florida.
Richard and May Roe Adoption (.pdf)