DCS & Private Adoptions

Adoption days are my favorite days. Being an adoptive mother, I know what it's like to go through the stress of getting to a final adoption hearing.  All three of my kids came in different ways.  For one, we were chosen by the birth mother when  the baby was an infant, the birth mother signed a consent right away, and we were the parents who checked the little out of the hospital after birth; another of our children was going to be taken back into DCS custody at the age of 3 years if we hadn't taken guardianship; and the other child, we had for a month pursuant to a guardianship we obtained while the birth mother was residing in jail, the little was returned to the birth mother to live in a half-way house for several months, and when 16 months old, we received the child back and then finally completed the adoption after waiting an entire year of birth mother not paying support or having any significant contact. So when I say, I can relate to your story, those aren't just words I use in hopes that you'll want to hire me as your attorney...I've lived it.

In my law practice, I have performed legal services on about every angle of adoption law there is:  I have represented adoptive parents in a variety of adoptions including DCS, step-parent, private and adult adoptions.  I have also represented birth parents who did not want their child to be adopted, and birth parents who were consenting to the adoption, along with birth parents who wanted a post-adoption contact agreement negotiated.  Additionally, I've worked on adoptions that were agreed to and those that were contested to.  I have even worked on adoptions that were finalized in a different country that needed to be domesticated back here in the United States through a Court process.

For DCS Adoptions, I will travel to whichever County your child is fostering from, within the State of Indiana, if and when necessary.  Typically, to make this matter as easy and convenient for you as I can, I do a lot of our work via phone and email; but if there is a mediation that needs to be attended by me, I can be there.  In a DCS adoption, the State will typically pay an amount certain for non-recurring adoption expenses.  I only ask that you personally pay for the filing fee (a fee that is paid to the Court when a Petition for Adoption is filed) and some miscellaneous fees (that I will detail for you when needed), including travel when necessary.  That's it! I have represented many families through the DCS adoption process and negotiated for years with DCS for the adoption subsidy (since they actually began the negotiations process in our State).

If you have been referred to me from an Adoption Agency to help with your private adoption, please contact me right away.  We will discuss specific attorney fees and expenses at such time.

For every adoption matter, you should have an experienced attorney who knows the adoption process.  Something this important should be taken seriously and handled competently.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions as you dive into the unknown world of adoption.  You can call me at the office, call or text me on my cell, or email me.  I'm available most days, evenings and weekends...although I do sleep occasionally.