Adoptions

Adoption is the process by which a person assumes parental rights and responsibilities for a minor child. There are four major types of adoption: adult adoption, agency adoption, independent adoption, and stepparent adoption.

Adult adoptions: One adult may be adopted by another older adult. Generally, parental consent is not required and there is no requirement of a study or report unless a Court requires it.

Agency adoptions: Involve the placement of a child with adoptive parents by a public/state licensed adoption agency, or by a private agency licensed or regulated by the state. Families seeking to adopt children from an agency are subject to a screening procedure to determine their fitness to adopt a child.

Freeman & Borthwick are licensed attorneys and not a licensed adoption agency. We can assist birth parents and adoptive parents with the placement of a child in an independent adoption.

Independent adoptions: Independent adoptions are adoptions arranged directly between the birth parent and a specific family. The birth parents select the adoptive parents based on some kind of personal knowledge of the adoptive parents. These adoptions take place without the assistance of an agency, but an adoption service provider may be involved to facilitate the process.

Stepparent adoptions: A stepparent adoption creates a legally binding parent‐child relationship between the adopting parent and child. In this case, a stepparent wishes to become the adoptive parent of their spouse’s biological child. California Courts generally will require that the absent parent consent to the adoption.