Families grow in many ways, including adoption. Whatever your reasons for adopting, or the path you took on the decision to adopt, you need to make sure every detail of your adoption is properly addressed. In order to make sure your family ties are legally binding, you need to work with an attorney who is experienced with adoption laws and process in North Carolina.

At Raven M. Barron, PLLC, adoption cases make up a significant portion of our practice. Attorney Raven Barron has helped numerous families to successfully complete their adoptions, including over one hundred adoptions in the last two years alone.

North Carolina Adoption Law

Why adopt? Aside from the joy of adding a new member to your family, adoption creates a legal status. Legally speaking, there is no difference between a biological child and an adoptive one. Any rights or responsibilities that a parent would have with respect to their child also exist for adoptive parents and children.

There are different types of adoption, and the process for each varies. Raven M. Barron, PLLC assists families with many adoption processes, including:

Private Adoption/Directed Relinquishment

The type of adoption with which most people are familiar is adoption of an infant being surrendered by a birth mother. In North Carolina, a process called “directed relinquishment” is available. With directed relinquishment, a birth mother can select the adoptive parents of the child to whom she gives birth. This process must be handled carefully in order to preserve the legal rights of the birth parents, adoptive parents, and the child. Raven M. Barron, PLLC is experienced in directed relinquishment adoption practice and in other independent or private adoptions.

Stepparent Adoption

As blended families continue to increase in number, more and more stepparents and stepchildren are choosing to make their legal status reflect the bond between them. A child adopted by a stepparent has the right to inherit from the adoptive parent and to receive government benefits (like survivor’s benefits) through the parent. The adoptive parent has the same decision-making and custodial rights as any legal parent.

Grandparent Adoption

An increasing number of grandparents in North Carolina are raising their grandchildren because the children’s parents are unable to. Serving as a legal guardian gives the grandparent certain rights to make decisions and take actions regarding a child’s care, but these rights may be limited or taken away. Adoption provides security and certainty for both the grandparent and a child who may already have experienced disruption of their home.

Department of Social Services (DSS) Adoptions

Many families adopt a child after first serving as foster parents for the child, or adopt a child who has been fostered by another family. Attorney Raven Barron has guided many parents and children through the intricacies of the DSS process to create their “forever family.”

Interstate Adoptions

Sometimes the best family for a child awaiting adoption lives in a different state from the child. The child may have relatives in another state who are willing to adopt, or parents may have learned online of a child in need of a home. Although there is an added layer of complexity involved in an adoption across state lines, the right legal support can make the process quicker and less stressful. Attorney Raven M. Barron is experienced in cases involving the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), which is a law governing interstate adoptions.

Adult Adoptions

While less common, adult adoptions serve many important purposes. A family might wish to adopt a former foster child who had “aged out” of the foster care system, or a stepparent might want to formalize the parent-child relationship with a stepchild who is no longer a minor. A family, couple, or individual may want to adopt someone who is a legal adult to create inheritance rights for that person.

Experienced, Caring Catawba County Adoption Attorney

Attorney Raven Barron is not only experienced in the legal aspects of adoption in North Carolina; as an adoptee herself, she understands on a personal level the joy adoption can bring to a family. She is committed to helping every family with whom she works have not only a good outcome, but a positive experience of the adoption process itself.

Raven M. Barron, PLLC works with families seeking to adopt in Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties and the surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. We invite you to contact Raven M. Barron PLLC to schedule a consultation about your adoption needs. We look forward to working with you.