Adopt a Child in Morris County
At the Law Office of Sara Sencer McArdle, LLC, attorneys Sara and Kevin McArdle are a husband and wife pair who work side by side. While we help biological and adoptive parents on a professional level, adoption has also affected us personally. We are adoptive parents ourselves, so we know firsthand the legal and emotional effects of adoption on parents.
In New Jersey, adoptive parents face many obstacles and requirements. For example, adopting a child from another state requires a court order. The adoption must then be legitimized in your home state, and the child's birth certificate must be changed to reflect the new adoptive parents.
We know that these obstacles can feel frustrating for adoptive parents. They often take a long time and even a small mistake can mean a serious setback. That's why we guide parents through the process, making sure that everything goes smoothly, from the very first steps until after the adoption is finalized and the child is in his or her new home.
Lawyers at our Randolph, New Jersey, law firm handle many types of adoptions, representing both prospective adoptive parents and biological parents:
- Stepparent adoptions
- Adoptions by grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives
- Out-of-state adoptions
- Foreign adoption
- Same-sex adoption
Talking With Children About Adoption
We've never believed that children should be kept in the dark about their adoption. From a very young age, both of our children knew that they were adopted. We answered their questions openly and helped them understand how deeply they were loved.
As lawyers, we encourage our clients to make similarly open choices about the way they talk with their children about adoption. However, New Jersey laws respect the privacy of the birth parents over the right of the child to know who those birth parents are. If birth parents want their identities disclosed to the child, there are registries available. We can discuss these registries with you and talk about various adoption options, including open adoptions.
Contact a Morristown Adoption Attorney
If you are considering adoption, schedule a free and confidential consultation with a lawyer. Call an attorney at our office at 973-607-2774, toll free at 888-449-4913 or simply complete our online contact form.
