Adoption Lawyer
Georgia laws concerning adoption, guardianships and child welfare are complex and the process can quickly become overwhelming if you try to do it yourself. That's why it's extremely important to seek the assistance of an adoption lawyer to reach successful outcomes in adoption and guardianship-related issues.
Warner Robins adoption lawyer Lynn Hamilton Johnson has the necessary legal experience and a clear understanding of state and federal adoption laws and has used those skills for many years to help families in Warner Robins and the middle Georgia to successfully adopt children and settle guardianship-related issues to their satisfaction.
- Contested adoptions
- Agency adoptions
- International adoptions
- Relative (non-parent) adoptions
- Step-parent adoptions
- Grand-parent adoptions
- Adoptions by a relative
- Adult adoptions
- Private placements
- Termination of parental rights
- Relinquishments of parental rights
- Name-change petitions
- Guardianships for relatives
If you have decided to explore the adoption process, our early involvement can help ensure you meet the necessary qualifications and avoid potential issues as the adoption proceeds. Finding out later that an adoption was illegal or invalid for any reason could lead to years of heartache and pain, in addition to court battles and expensive legal costs.
Adopting a child is a life changing experience for all involved or, as someone once said, "Adopting one child won’t change the world: but for that child, the world will change."
An estimated one million children currently live with adoptive parents in the United States and another 500,000 or so are in foster care -- at least 125,000 of those children are available for adoption. These children range in age from from newborn to teens; all of whom need of love and care. Many of these children are healthy, some of them have special needs due to physical, emotional or mental disabilities. All of them need attention and the security of a loving family.
There are two types of adoption in Georgia -- open and closed. In open adoptions the adoptive parents are allowed to meet the birth mother. There may be a single meeting or multiple meetings during the pregnancy. Open adoptions have become more common in recent years, but most adoptions are still closed and the adoptive parents never meet the birth mother.
In addition to the thousands of children needing homes in the United States, there are millions of children worldwide in the same situation. International adoptions have become much more common over the last 20 years with children being adopted into loving Georgia families from all areas of the world. These adoptions add many more levels of complexity and make the role of a skilled adoption attorney even more important.
Lynn Hamilton Johnson approaches all adoption cases with compassion and a deep concern for the well bring of the child. If you are thinking about taking this important step, call our office at 478-922-3889 to schedule a consultation. We can help with what ever adoption process you choose and make sure the finalized adoption is completed in accordance with the law.