Adoption is about some of the most important relationships in your life.

It also creates a new legal relationship between individuals – often between potential parents and children. In Washington State, there are specific laws and procedures that must be followed to ensure that an adoption is done correctly. We are here to help create a new legal and familial relationship between those you care most about.

Adoption can take many forms, and we list some of the related services we can provide below. Contact us to learn more about your options.

Adoption

Adult Adoption

With an adult adoption, the adoptee is over the age of 18. While the adopter does not have the same responsibilities as adopting a child, there are still many legal benefits to creating this relationship, such as simplifying your estate planning.

Private Adoption

Private adoptions are for an individual or couple wanting to bring a child without biological connection into their family.

Biological parents must relinquish their parental rights with the courts for an adoption to occur. We currently do not provide adoption services for families who are looking to adopt from the child foster care system in Washington State. In addition to hiring an attorney, a social worker must be engaged by the potential parents. Contact us to learn more.

Second-Parent Adoption

Also known as step-parent adoption, this occurs when a partner wants to be listed as the parent on all documentation of their partner’s biological child.

The partners generally need to be married for this to occur. The other biological parent, in cases of step-parent adoption only, will need to relinquish their parental rights with the court. In addition to hiring an attorney, a social worker must be engaged by the potential parents.

Birth-Parent Consultations

If you are considering becoming a birth parent and placing your child with an adoptive family, we offer consultations and information about your legal rights post-termination, as well as reviewing and drafting communication agreements.