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A birth or legal parent’s written consent is a crucial component of many adoption cases in our area, and there are several factors that go into the execution of this agreement. This area of family law can be complex, and if you have concerns related to consent in your adoption case, you may benefit from the assistance of a knowledgeable legal professional. A Chattanooga lawyer could ensure that the execution of consent to adoption is completed efficiently and address any of your questions throughout the process.
Typically, consent to adoption is given at the onset of the case. After an adoption attorney has talked to the birth parents and learned about their situation, they can draft a petition for adoption and termination of parental rights. Once the petition is drafted, the parent or parents who are voluntarily surrendering their rights would sign it in front of a notary, and the attorney would file it with the appropriate court.
However, consent can be given at any time during an adoption case. If a parent decides at the onset of a case after a petition is filed that they are not going to voluntarily surrender their rights, they will still be served the petition. They could then meet with a lawyer and request time to think about the situation.
If they decide during the course of the case that they do want to surrender their rights, they can do so either in person at the court or by filing a consent petition with the help of an attorney. This sequence of events can happen at any stage of the case, up to and including the day of the adoption hearing.
There are some measures that a birth or legal parent should take when preparing to execute the consent to their child’s adoption. For example, it is important that they present a copy of the child’s birth certificate because the adopting parents and their attorney need to know which individuals legally have parental rights. Any subsequent documents, like a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or a DNA test, would also be helpful to a local adoption lawyer in this situation.
The adoption process is complicated, and the forms regarding consent are very particular. If there is even a slight deviation from how the statute and the legislature outlines adoption procedures, such as the termination of parental rights, the court will not approve the case. Accordingly, it may be important for any party involved to have an experienced attorney on their side who is familiar with the necessary documents and the process and can minimize any conflicts.
Consent to adoption can be revoked at any point during the adoption process, up until the adoption is finalized by a Chattanooga court. Revocation during this timeframe is permitted in any circumstance, and a parent who signed off on an adoption petition has the legal right to change their mind later. However, once the case is resolved, it can be extremely difficult for a parent to regain their parental rights, so a parent debating whether to execute consent to adoption should enlist the help of an attorney in the area.
If you are involved in a Chattanooga adoption case, it is important to note that parental consent to adoption can be executed or revoked at any point in the process. To fully understand the nuances of the laws surrounding the issue of consent, you should engage with a qualified attorney who has experience navigating these cases. Contact us to set up a confidential consultation today.