Nashville-Area Family Law Attorney Handling Stepparent Adoptions
Contrary to the old tales of wicked stepparents in fairy stories, many stepparent-stepchild relationships are full of love. Raising a stepchild can be immensely rewarding, and many stepparents want their step-children to have all the advantages of a biological child — especially when the child's other birth parent is out of the picture.
At the Ewing Law Office LLC, we understand the desire stepparents have to adopt their spouses' children. We guide clients through the process of determining whether a stepchild adoption is an option, then walk them through the steps of making it happen.
Contact us today for a free initial phone consultation about how we can help you. We represent clients in Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner, and Wilson counties and throughout Middle Tennessee.
Helping Clients Adopt Their Stepsons and Stepdaughters
Family law attorney Lisa Millican Ewing makes sure every client understands the legal differences between the role of a stepparent and that of an adoptive parent. Once adopted, your former stepchild is legally your child forever, so this is a serious commitment.
Stepparents who adopt their children have the same rights and responsibilities as biological parents. They have the authority to make medical and educational decisions, and are obligated to support their children financially. After the adoption is final, the children's other biological parent no longer has any child custody and visitation rights, and is no longer obligated to pay child support.
As long as the situation is right, most stepparent adoptions proceed smoothly. There should be no challenge to the process if the children's other biological parent:
- is no longer living
- has agreed to relinquish his or her parental rights to the stepparent
- has had his or her parental rights terminated by a court
If the children's birth father or mother is unfit or has had no contact with the children for a substantial period of time, attorney Ewing will seek to have that parent's parental rights terminated in a contested adoption. Before becoming a lawyer, Lisa Milligan Ewing served for four years as a court-appointed special advocate in children's best interests. She partners with the Department of Children's Protective Services to prove this cases and is dedicated to protecting the well-being and best interests of children.
Contact Us
If you have questions about stepparent adoptions, contact attorney Ewing today. We offer free initial phone consultations as well as same-day, evening, and weekend appointments at our office, which is conveniently located one block from the Davidson County historic courthouse. We charge reasonable rates and accept credit cards for our services.
