St. Petersburg Adoption Lawyer

St Petersburg FL Adoption Lawyer – Adoption Attorney in Florida
Whittel & Melton 727-823-0000<

Pinellas County Adoption

Adoption is the legal process of a single person or couple becoming the legal parents of a child. Once a child is legally adopted, the adoptive parents have all the same legal rights as biological parents do.

The adoption process can be a lengthy one, and before you decide to take that step, prospective adoptive parents must decide which type of adoption they would like to pursue. Most people considering adoption have tons of questions about the adoption process. Some of the most common questions include:

1. How difficult is it to adopt in this country or abroad?
2. How much does adoption cost?
3. What is the process for adoption in Florida compared to other states?

If you are contemplating adopting a child, our St Petersburg Florida Adoption Lawyers at Whittel & Melton urge you to speak with us so that we can answer your questions and guide you through the process. Call us today at 727-823-0000 or contact us online for a free consultation.

There are four main types of Florida adoptions:

Open Adoptions in St Petersburg

This is a very popular adoption in Florida. Open adoptions provide the birth mother, child, and adoptive family with an open level of communication and the ability to exchange information on family medical issues as well as other information that may be useful as the child grows.

Closed Adoptions in St Petersburg

There are some families that prefer to have little or no contact with the adoptive parents or child. In closed adoptions, once the adoption process is complete, there is no further contact between the birth mother and the adoptive family.

Pinellas County Stepparent Adoption Attorney

This is another quite common adoption process in Florida. Stepparents that choose to adopt a child usually have a strong, loving bond with the child, which leads to them wanting to have legal rights a parent. At Whittel & Melton, our Florida Adoption Attorneys are very familiar with stepparent adoptions. Once the process is complete, you and your spouse will have the right to give your surname to the child, participate in all major decisions regarding the child, assume legal responsibility for the welfare of the child, and be listed as the child’s parent on his or her birth certificate.

Florida adoption law has provided in the past for a stepparent to adopt a child without the consent of the non-custodial, biological parent. Our Florida Adoption Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can answer all of your questions surrounding stepparent adoptions in a free initial consultation.

St Petersburg Grandparent and Relative Adoption Lawyer

Many adoptions involve grandparents or close relatives seeking to assume legal responsibility for a child.

Grandparents usually wish to adopt a grandchild for a variety of reasons, the most common being:

• Irresponsible parents
• Parents have medical or mental health issues
• Parents have a drug or alcohol problem
• Parent(s) have died
• Child abuse, neglect or abandonment
• Teenage pregnancy
• Poverty

The adoption process for a grandparent is usually less complicated than non-relative adoptions and often require less paperwork, which can certainly speed up the process.

Our St Petersburg Florida Adoption Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can provide you with more information regarding the various adoption options available to you, so that you can make an informed decision about what is best for you.

We are happy to discuss your case with you and answer any questions you may have in a free consultation. Call us today at 727-823-0000 or contact us online.