The length of time it takes to adopt a child in North Carolina can vary greatly depending on how willing the parties are to the adoption as well as the type of adoption that is taking place. However, some things are consistent in every adoption. Once the biological parents have either agreed to the adoption or their rights have been terminated by the court, the process can take three to four months. The petition can be filed relatively quickly, and you can expedite this process by bringing certified copies of the child’s birth certificate and any court orders. But, the attorney’s paperwork varies with the type of adoption and can take some time. You may also be required to submit to a preplacement assessment on you and your home. Once all the necessary steps are completed and an adoption decree is issued, it is sent to vital records for a new birth certificate to be issued. This could also take several months depending on the workload at vital records. If you’re interested in adopting a child in North Carolina, it’s imperative you have an experienced Family Attorney to help you and your family through the process. Give us a call. We would love to help in this joyous time!

An esteemed family law attorney assures us that stepparent adoption and relative adoption can be much faster and easier than other types of adoption. However, there is one caveat. Not only does your spouse need to consent to you adopting their child and co-parenting with you, but the other biological parent must either consent to the adoption and relinquish their rights or you must petition the court to have their rights terminated.

A closely related person can also enjoy this expedited adoption process. If you are a grandparent, great-grandparent, adult sibling, first cousin, aunt, uncle, great-aunt, or great-uncle then you qualify for a relative adoption. In both a stepparent and relative adoption, a pre-placement assessment is not required. So, if you are thinking about adopting your stepchild or another close relative, give us a call today, and we can help you and your family through the process.

You only need to become a foster parent before adopting a child in North Carolina if the child you want to adopt is already in the foster care system. However, this is not a bad route to go. The foster care system requires you to take free training, called MAPP class training, the adoption is free, and it provides up to $2,000 in assistance with the legal fees associated with the adoption. Private adoption agencies, on the other hand, specialize in matching children with families and do not necessarily require pre-placement assessments and training, but their fees typically start around $20,000 and do not include any legal fees. Either choice is a wonderful one for expanding your family and giving a home to a child in need. If you’re interested in adoption, call the experienced Family Law Attorneys of Dummit Fradin today.

If you’re over 18 and have someone in your life that feels like a parent and for either love, inheritance, or insurance purposes you need to make that relationship official, you still can! Adult adoption is an option! If this person is your stepparent or their spouse, your biological parent must still consent. Their adult children and your other biological parent must be notified, but their consent is not required. It’s an easy heart-warming process to make it all legal and official for you. Just give us a call today and we can get started!

Legally Change My Name

A popular question we get at Dummit Fradin is “How can I legally change my name?” An esteemed Family Law Attorney explains there are three answers to this question.

Marriage

The first, and the most common, answer is to take your marriage license to the DMV. They will change your last name to your spouse’s last name.

Divorce

The second, and more painful way to legally change your name is the opposite of the first. When you go through a divorce you can also take your divorce decree to the DMV and resume using your former last name.

Petition the Court

The third answer to this question is you may petition the court to change your name at any time. However, there are a lot of official documents you must gather, get notarized, and filed if you chose this route.  You also have to file a notice with the court of your intent to change your name.  There could potentially be a hearing on the issue to decide merit.

If you would like to petition the court to change your name, give one of our Family Law Attorneys a call, we will be happy to help you through this process.