Adopting a child is an emotional process that can fill the lives of Ohio parents with love and happiness. It is also, however, a legal process that is complex and full of mandates and requirements. Although many successful adoptions take place each year throughout the state, it is important that families understand that complications can delay or derail their adoption pursuits.
One way that an adoption may be met with challenges is if either of the child’s birth parents objects to the proceedings. A birth mother may decide that she does not want to give her child up. A putative father may learn of his child’s pending birth and may challenge the mother’s decision to put the child up for adoption. These situations can be difficult on adoptive parents and may create issues in their legal proceedings.
Additionally, adoptive parents who have found a willing birth mother may discover that the birth mother wants to utilize an open adoption for her child. Open adoptions effectively leave the door open for birth parents to communicate with their birth children despite their decisions to give them up. Adoptive parents who are not comfortable with an open arrangement between their child’s birth mother and their family may need to seek legal support to understand what they can do in such a situation.
Although adoption is a rewarding and special process, it is also a tough experience for many Ohio families. Problems can come up in many different ways. To prepare for the triumphs and challenges of the adoption process, individuals may want to get more information about family law options.