adoptions

Adopting a child in need is a generous and rewarding event. If you are considering adopting, call our Brevard County, Florida adoption attorney. We will help you with all of the decisions involved with the process of adoption. To start out you should consider what type of adoption is best for you: private, step-parent, grandparent, or through The Department of Children & Families (just to name a few options available to you)?  Another consideration is whether you want an open adoption (keeping contact with the birth parent(s)), or a closed adoption (where the birth parent(s) and adoptive parents know little or nothing of each other.)

To help with some of these decisions consider your motivation and your goals: do you want to raise a newborn, help a troubled child in the foster care system, help a family member who may be overwhelmed by parenthood, or adopt your step-child(ren). Whichever path you choose, adoption is a legal process that needs to be finalized by a Judge. When the Judge signs the Finalization of Adoption, for all intents and purposes legally, the child was born to you. Florida Statute 63.172 provides that all legal relationships with the birth parents are terminated and a legal relationship is created with the adoptive parents. An amended birth certificate should be obtained listing you as the parent(s) with the child’s new name.

Our Brevard County Florida Adoption Attorney Bonnie Rhoden has been handling adoptions for years and would be happy to sit down with you to discuss your questions. She will even assist you with applying for a new Social Security number for the child, a birth certificate, any insurance changes that may need to be made, or drafting a new Will to protect your family.

Read about Adult Adoptions – the 3 most common reasons.

We handle adoptions in all areas including Palm Bay, Melbourne, Viera, Cocoa, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Cape Canaveral, Titusville, Patrick Space Force Base, Cocoa Beach, and others.   Please call or text for a no cost consultation 321-549-3162 or use the Contact Us form to email the office.