Realistic Timelines in Stepparent Adoptions
Those who are interested in adopting in Oklahoma should understand that the adoption process can take some time.
While adopting a child in foster care may take over a year from the time the child enters your home, many step parent adoptions are quicker and simpler.
Whether you are a stepparent wishing to adopt your spouse’s child or a future parent interested in adopting a child in foster care, you have a variety of different requirements to meet as you go through the process. It’s important to be well-informed on the process and the timeline for adoption before you get started.
The Length of Time Adoptions Usually Take
Oklahoma adoption laws require adopting parents to demonstrate to the state that they are able to care for the child they adopt. They will also need to prove that they can offer a safe home to a child they adopt by undergoing criminal background checks.
While some adoptions are completed in only a few months, others may take considerably longer. More complicated adoption procedures can take upwards of a year.
Going through any required court appearances or home studies is one of the most time-consuming parts of adopting a child in Oklahoma.
But in cases of stepparents adopting they may be able to complete their adoption in a few months. Oklahoma law has a six month waiting period for an adoption, but some Judges will waive that in cases of stepparent adoption so your adoption can finalize sooner.
Oklahoma Adoption Laws for Stepparent
One great thing about going through an Oklahoma step parent adoption is that these adoptions may be shorter than standard adoptions. This is especially true if you already meet some basic requirements.
If you want to complete an OKC stepparent adoption, you will need to be married to the biological parent of the stepchild you are adopting. You do NOT have to be married a year to begin your adoption process.
Another important requirement in a step parent adoption is getting the termination of rights of the child’s other birth parent. The parental rights of the other parent must be terminated for any stepparent adoption to be complete. This can really slow down the procedure if the other birth parent does not wish to give up parental rights.
In some situations, the legal rights of a birth parent can be terminated even if they don’t agree. Legal action can be used to have the legal right of the birth parent terminated if it can be proven to the court that this parent has failed to do certain things like pay child support.
Seeking an Adoption Attorney in OKC
If you want to get through the step parent adoption process as quickly as possible, the best thing to do is hire an adoption attorney. When you have an adoption attorney working for you, your attorney can file the necessary paperwork for you and help you get through any court appearances that are necessary.
Attorneys for Oklahoma step parent adoption are also great for simply answering your questions while you’re adopting your stepchild. You’re likely to have a lot of questions that come up along the way. It’s confusing to get through the step parent adoption process on your own if you’ve never adopted before.
With the services of an adoption attorney, you’ll enjoy both peace of mind and a step parent adoption that is carried out as efficiently as possible. An adoption attorney for adopting stepparents can make it so you don’t have to devote as much of your time to the adoption procedure so you can focus on your professional and personal life while your stepparent adoption is completed.
Suppose you’re ready to adopt in Oklahoma; Lisa R. Howard, P.L.L.C., can offer you adoption lawyer services. She is an attorney who focuses her practice in adoption and guardianships. Our firm has years of experience working with families like yours to process stepparent adoptions. Set up an appointment today to learn more about what you’ll need to do to get through the stepparent adoption procedure.