Breaking Adoption Myths
Making the decision to expand your family is the beginning of an exciting adventure. There will be ups and downs and you may not be quite sure what will happen next. However, your life will never be the same again. In most cases, your life will be filled beyond measure and it will be the […]
Preparing For Adoption: Understanding The Home Study Process
Families who want to start or grow their family may turn to adoption for any number of reasons, and every adoption experience is unique. However, there are similarities from one adoptive family to the next. For example, all must navigate through a legally complex process to get from prospective adoptive family to a happy and complete one. […]
Is Surrogacy Right For You?
People choose to start or expand their families in many different ways. Partners often have children together and many families choose adoption. However, there is another common way to bring a child into the home, and that is through surrogacy. In a surrogacy arrangement, a woman who will not ultimately be the mother of the child […]
Private Vs. Agency Adoptions
Adoption is a beautiful way for people to expand their families. Whether it is a first child or fourth, it is amazing to see a child accepted into a loving home. Moreover, witnessing an adoption is one of the best parts of being a family law adoption attorney. However, the adoption process can be a mystery to many people. […]
The Difference Between Adoption And Guardianship
People turn to adoption for a number of reasons. Some believe it is important to give fostered children a home. Others have difficulty conceiving. Still others use adoption to take care of children within their family or circle of friends. However, adoption is not the only way to provide for minors, and it may not be the […]
Facilitating Stepparent Adoptions in Illinois
When a stepparent attempts to adopt a child in Illinois, the adoption process is much easier than trying to adopt a stranger. However, although the process is streamlined, there are still certain requirements that must be met in order to adopt the related child. If you would like to adopt a child in Illinois, you need to […]
House Bill 3079: An Illinois Adoption Bill
Involvement in adoptions is one of the greatest perks of practicing family law. While nearly every other type of law, including other parts of family law, has to deal with either resolving disputes or preparing for disputes, adoption is generally a very happy and positive affair. A child who needs a parent or parents, and a parent […]
Reviewing the Facts When Considering Adoption
Adoption is the most joyful part of family law. It is a wonderful way for a child to become a part of a loving family—one that has usually wanted a child for years. Some judges refer to adoptions as the “best” thing that ever happens in their courtrooms. While the end result of these proceedings is […]
The Role of an Adoption Lawyer in the Adoption Process
The decision to adopt a child is not only exciting for the new parents, but can be life changing to the child that is adopted. Throughout the world, children are given up for adoption with the hope that they will grow up in a more secure and stable environment. According to the State Department, approximately 11,890 […]
National Adoption Day: Celebrating Forever Families
On November 22, 2014, adoption agencies and children’s rights activists all around the United States will be celebrating what is known as National Adoption Day. The purpose of National Adoption Day is to help raise awareness of the thousands of children currently in foster care who are waiting to be adopted by loving, forever families. In fact, […]
Adopting a Child as a Stepparent
Oftentimes, adoption is portrayed in the media as a process by which a good-natured couple travels to another country to bring a new child into their life. Although these types of adoption are prevalent within the United States, however, other types of adoption do exist as well. Sometimes, situations arise where a relative, either by blood or […]
The Importance of Working With An Accredited Adoption Agency
Falling in love and getting married is a rite of passage that many hope to experience at some point in life. After a person finds the partner that they intend to spend the rest of their life with, the natural progression is to have children and begin building a family. However, when a couple cannot conceive […]
Illinois Adoption – Part 3: Living Happily Ever After
Adoption can be an exciting, life-changing time for individuals and couples. And in this post, a variety of tips and tricks for adjusting to life after adoption are discussed. Tips for Post-Adoption Success Find an Adoption Mentor – Learning how to parent is a challenge. Even parents who have raised children already face new struggles and situations when […]
Illinois Adoption – Part 2: The Process
In part 1 of this series, we discussed some of the legal aspects of adoption in Illinois. In this post, we outline the process of adoption. The process can take a substantial amount of time and is guided by Illinois adoption laws. The General Steps: Orientation – During the orientation stage, individuals and couples seeking to adopt participate […]
Illinois Adoption – Part 1: The Legal Landscape
Individuals and couples adopt for many reasons. For example, some couples adopt due to fertility challenges; some families have biological children and wish to increase their family size through adoption; and other families merely wish to provide a safe home to children who need such a family. Adding a child to your family can be a joyous […]
Pope Reportedly Opposed To Gay Adoption Rights
Pope Francis has contacted the Bishop of Malta, urging him to fight a bill that would allow same-sex couples to engage in civil unions and adopt children, the Times of Malta reports. Bishop Charles Scicluna of Malta reported that Pope Francis spoke with him and was “shocked” by the bill. Gay marriage and adoption by gay couples is currently […]
Illinois Cracking Down on Illegal Adoptions
This week, the state of Illinois took several steps to crack down on illegal online, underground, and for-profit adoptions. First, the state filed an historic lawsuit against a for-profit adoption agency that it claims to be illegally targeting ads to Illinois. Second, the Illinois state House held a committee hearing on Tuesday on adoption reform. […]
The Purpose of an Adoption Home Study
If you are planning to adopt, it’s important to understand the facets of the adoption home study. Every state, including Illinois, requires all adoptive parents to go through the procedure of a home study. One way to better understand the adoption procedure is to hire an experienced adoption attorney early on so that you are prepared for what […]
How Adoptions Can Affect Estate Planning
Undoubtedly, adoptions play an important part in family law. Adoptions, however, can have important effects in estate planning as well. Under Illinois law, anyone may be adopted, including adults, as long as they have resided in the same residence as the adopting parent for at least two years. This was originally intended as a tool to facilitate adoption in […]
Adoptive Parents Fighting for Their Cherokee Daughter
Children are a true blessing. Some couples try for years to have children, and when they are not successful, adoption becomes the best way to have a family. In the case of Matt and Melanie Capobianco, years of trying unsuccessfully to have a biological child led them to their beautiful 3 year old adopted daughter, […]
