Knoxville Adoption Attorney

Legal Help with the Adoption Process

When you are preparing to bring a new child into your life, the legal aspects of adoption may be daunting. Any experienced adoption attorney from Menefee & Brown can handle the legal details for you while you concentrate on preparing to receive a new member into your family.

Most adoptive parents in Tennessee, must undergo a home study, and the natural parents must also execute a surrender of parental rights or consent to the adoption. It is a complex process designed to avoid fraud and abuse.

But with the help of an adoption attorney in Knoxville, Tennessee, it can go smoothly.

What is the Adoption Process in TN?

The process for adopting a child in Tennessee will depend on your specific circumstances. The state recognizes several different types of adoption, including foster parent adoptions, stepparent adoptions, and private adoptions. Regulations and processes will depend on the specific county where you plan to adopt.

If you are currently a foster parent in Tennessee's Department of Children Services (DCS), you will be the first choice for adoption of a child of whom you are currently fostering. If you are not currently within the foster system, you will undergo self-assessments and education through the state's KEY training. This process will also include a formal home study.

Whether you are trying to adopt as a grandparent, foster parent, or in another circumstance, our firm can help you understand the process and guide you through each step.

What Happens in a Contested Adoption Hearing in Tennessee?

Not all adoptions take place with the consent of the natural parent(s).

In adoption cases where a relative or other caregiver seeks to wrest parental authority from an allegedly unfit parent, the process can be contentious. A client pursuing such an adoption must usually file a court petition seeking to terminate parental or guardianship rights in Tennessee.

Such a petition must allege grounds for the termination of parental rights, including:

• Abandonment
• Noncompliance with a permanency plan
• Severe abuse or neglect
• Incarceration of the parents
• Mental incompetence

Get a Seasoned Adoption Attorney on Your Side

At Menefee & Brown, our team of Knoxville adoption lawyers put our clients first. We understand that adoptions, both contested and uncontested, can be emotionally sensitive. For this reason, our team strives to be sympathetic to our clients' family law needs and to keep them informed as their adoption cases develop.