The Adoption Law Handbook: Practice, Resources, and Forms for Family Law Professionals - 2nd Edition - Jennifer Fairfax

The Adoption Law Handbook: Practice, Resources, and Forms for Family Law Professionals 2nd Edition Jennifer Fairfax ISBN 9781641052870

Adoption is a journey that often requires time, patience, and careful guidance. In an adoption case, the family lawyer plays a critical role, helping clients navigate the various types of adoptions, identify the applicable laws, and ensure the adoption is legally finalized in the appropriate jurisdiction.

The Adoption Law Handbook, fully updated, is a clear, accessible, and practical resource for handling adoption cases. Jennifer Fairfax, an experienced family lawyer specializing in adoption and reproductive law, provides essential guidance on the adoption process, detailed information on specific topics, advice on client intake and consultations, practical steps for each stage of the legal process, and a collection of sample forms. Each chapter concludes with concise summary points for quick reference.

The handbook covers the primary types of adoption—domestic private/independent adoptions, domestic agency adoptions, and international adoptions—and addresses the full spectrum of legal issues that arise in each. Topics include Hague Convention requirements, the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), special needs adoptions, and the legal considerations for guiding clients from intake to finalization. It also explores emerging laws, differences in procedural approaches, and adoption considerations for LGBTQ+ parents.

Table of Contents

1. Adoption Overview

2. Client Intake, Advice, and Consultations

3. Home Study

4. Domestic Private/Agency Adoption

5. Public Agency Adoptions

6. Independent Adoption

7. Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children

8. Biological Fathers

9. Consent, Relinquishment, and Termination of Parental Rights

10. Second-Parent and Co-Parent Adoptions

11. Post-Adoption Contact Agreements

12. Indian Child Welfare Act

13. Stepparent Adoptions

14. Cost and Financing

15. Adult Adoption

16. Open Adoption Records

17. Disruption

18. Failure of Disclosure and Tort of Wrongful Adoption

19. Intercountry or International Adoption

Appendices A–L

• Internet and Adoption Resources

• The Adoption Lawyer’s Library

• Recommended Reading for Clients

• Index

This handbook equips adoption attorneys with the knowledge, tools, and practical guidance needed to navigate every stage of an adoption successfully, making it an indispensable resource for both new and experienced practitioners.

The Adoption Law Handbook: Practice, Resources, and Forms for Family Law Professionals 2nd Edition Jennifer Fairfax ISBN 9781641052870, 978-1641052870 & 9781641052887

Author
Jennifer Fairfax