The 3 Types of Adoption in Oklahoma
Adoption is the legal process by which the parental rights of birth parents are transferred to another person, thus ending the parental rights of those people who gave birth to the adopted person. There are many reasons why someone would choose to adopt another person. We use the word person because not all adoptions involve children.
What Are the Three Types of Adoption in Oklahoma?
- Related Adoption – A relative is the adoptive party – An aunt adopts a niece or nephew.
- Unrelated Adoption – A non-relative is the adoptive party – A family adopts a baby given up for adoption.
- Adult Adoption – The adopting party may be a relative or a non-relative and adopts an adult – A stepparent adopts the adult children of their spouse or someone adopts an adult who is disabled.
Related Adoption
The adoptive party comprises of at least one person who is related by blood to the child or children. For many related adoptions, we are talking about a stepparent who adopts children belonging to their spouse. In some cases, it is a family member who adopts children who have been removed from parents who have been stripped of their parental rights.
Unrelated Adoption
An unrelated adoption occurs when someone who is not related to the child or adult, adopts them. Many times these are families who adopt children. These cases are handled by a family law firm or lawyer. The adoptive parent(s) may adopt a child from people who live in another country, an orphan who is a ward of the court, or under other circumstances. The process is complex and there are a lot of legal hurdles that you have to cross. That is why a family law expert is essential.
Adult Adoption
When someone turns 18 years of age, they are considered an adult. What happens to those people who are older than age 18 but are not able to care for themselves? An example might be a person who is severely autistic or someone who may have Down syndrome. These people may be able to function in some aspects of their life but may not be able to handle daily events such as cooking food, driving, or supporting themselves financially.
Another form of adult adoption occurs when the adult children of their spouse are adopted by a stepparent either in conjunction with the adoption of smaller children or not.
Contact Owens Law Office For Your Adoption Assistance
All three forms of adoption are complex and are best handled with the help of a family law lawyer. Owens Law Office is your local experienced legal representative in Oklahoma. If you need help with the adoption process, give Phillip P. Owens II a call.
