Adoptions
Adoption Attorney in Cartersville, Georgia
Most of the adoptions we handle don't start in an agency waiting room. They're a foster parent finishing what DFCS started, a grandparent making official what's already true, or a stepparent formalizing the only parent a child has ever known. We handle the legal side so you can focus on the family part.
Most common
DFCS and foster care adoption
Most of our adoption cases start the same way: a child has been placed with a foster family or a relative through DFCS, the legal parents' rights have been terminated, and the family is ready to make that placement permanent. We step in at that point, prepare the adoption petition, and carry the case through to finalization.
If you're a foster parent or a kinship caregiver and DFCS or your caseworker has told you it's time to talk about adoption, that's exactly the kind of case we handle.
Also common
Stepparent adoption
When a stepparent wants to adopt a spouse's child, Georgia generally requires the other legal parent's consent, unless a court finds that consent isn't necessary because that parent abandoned the child, failed to support them, or otherwise had their rights subject to termination. When both legal parents are on board, this is often the most straightforward adoption we handle. We prepare the petition, take care of notice to the other legal parent, and walk the family through the finalization hearing in Superior Court.
Family adoption
Relative and grandparent adoption
Georgia makes it easier for a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or adult sibling to adopt a relative than it is for someone outside the family, especially when the child is already living with and known to that relative. This is different from a DFCS case: here, the family has usually arranged things on their own, without a state custody case involved. We handle the petition, notice to any legal parent whose rights haven't already been terminated, and the court process to finalize the adoption.
Often overlooked
Adult adoption
If someone you raised as your own is now an adult, or a lifelong relationship deserves legal recognition, Georgia allows the adoption of an adult with that person's written consent. It's usually the fastest and least involved adoption we handle, and most families don't realize it's an option until they ask.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
DFCS is already involved in our case. Do we still need our own attorney?
Yes. DFCS and your caseworker are focused on the underlying case, not on representing you personally in the adoption. The adoption petition is a separate legal filing, and having your own attorney means someone is looking out for your family's interests specifically in that process.
What's the difference between adopting through DFCS and adopting a relative on our own?
A DFCS adoption follows a state custody case that's already underway, with a caseworker involved and a termination of parental rights already in progress or complete. A relative adoption is usually something a family arranges on its own, without a state case attached, so the legal parents' consent or termination of their rights has to be handled as part of the petition itself.
Will my child's birth certificate change once the adoption is finalized?
Yes. Georgia issues an amended birth certificate listing you as the legal parent once the adoption is finalized, and the original is sealed and taken out of the public record.
How long does an adoption usually take once we're ready to file?
It depends on the type of adoption and how quickly consent or termination of rights is resolved. A straightforward stepparent or adult adoption can move fairly quickly. A DFCS or contested case takes longer because more has to happen before the petition is ready to file. We can give you a realistic timeline once we know the details of your case.
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The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this page or contacting The Mroczko Firm, LLC does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only by a signed written engagement agreement.