Best Estate Planning Attorneys in Garner, NC

A married couple, regardless of gender, who have been separated for at least one full calendar year. In North Carolina, separation occurs when the spouses live in separate residences and at least one of the spouses intends the separation will be permanent.

Anyone between the ages of 21 and 65 may adopt a child in North Carolina. A single adult is eligible to adopt, so long as they are found to be fit and successfully complete a Pre-placement Assessment. If the prospective adoptive parent is unmarried, however, no other individual may join in the petition for adoption. A married couple may jointly petition the court to adopt a child, but only after being married for at least one year.

Yes. In fact, the Pre-placement Assessment for international adoption may be a more strenuous process than for an adoption taking place in North Carolina alone. Standards for adoption and Pre-placement Assessments vary from state to state and country to country. If a family lives in North Carolina and adopts a child from North Carolina, the adoption will solely be governed by the laws and standards of North Carolina. However, if a child is adopted from a foreign country, the Preplacement Assessment must not only meet the requirements of North Carolina, but also United States Immigration standards and the standards of the country from which the child is being adopted.

Yes, she may change her mind at any time prior to the end of the revocation period. The revocation period is seven day period which begins to run when the birth mother signs a legal document consenting to the adoption of her child. At any time prior to the expiration of the revocation period, a birth mother may change her mind and revoke her consent.

An open adoption is an adoption in which one or both birth parents and the adoptive parents agree to exchange identifying information. The parties may also agree the birth parents will receive pictures or information about the child at proscribed times or that the birth parents will have the opportunity to meet or communicate with the child. As the extent to which an adoption is open is based purely on the agreement of the parties, the variations are endless. However, unless the parties agree otherwise, the adoptive parents are under no obligation to provide the birth parents with information or communication with the child.