If you already have a strong and loving bond with a child and are a relative or stepparent of that child, a formal judgment of adoption might be a suitable arrangement for you and the child. By being recognized as the legal parent of an adoptive child, you are given the right to make decisions regarding the child's life, including medical care, schooling, religion and more.

Located in Allison Park and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and serving the surrounding communities, the law firm of Iwanyshyn & Associates assists relatives, stepparents and others in the adoption process. For more than 30 years, our firm has represented individuals on a wide variety of family law issues and works hard to ensure that our clients are satisfied with the outcomes of their cases.

The adoption procedure in Pennsylvania is fairly straightforward. There is a considerable amount of paperwork that is necessary to complete the adoption, and this can be very time consuming and confusing for individuals who are not familiar with the legal process. By hiring an experienced family lawyer for your adoption, you can ensure that the process is done legally and correctly.

Termination of Parental Rights in Adoption Cases

In order for an adoption to take place, the parent who is adopting a child is responsible for obtaining the formal consent of the parent whose parental rights will be terminated. This relinquishment of parental rights is typically voluntary, although in cases where the non-custodial parent has failed to make child support payments or has not tried to maintain contact with the child for an extended period of time, there may be an involuntary termination of parental rights that allows the adoption to proceed.

Another action that the adoptive parent must take to ensure that the process is completed legally is to draft a Petition for Adoption and provide the court with formal affidavits that comply with Pennsylvania statutes. At Iwanyshyn & Associates, our firm will help you at every step of the process and will prepare all the necessary paperwork that you will need to complete. In cases where a hearing is required, an attorney will also represent you in court.

» Contact us to complete your adoption in the right way. We also work with individuals and couples that wish to adopt a child outside of the divorce process. We look forward to taking your call, fax or e-mail message scheduling your initial consultation with the experienced adoption attorneys at Iwanyshyn & Associates in Allison Park. In important matters like these and related issues such as partial custody, divorce and separation, we have been helping Greater Pittsburgh and Allegheny County residents for more than 30 years. Call us to schedule a consultation at 412-848-9181 or 412-848-9181.