Search Results for: adoption search legal information

Adoptions and Genealogy

If you are adopted, or there is an adoption in your family tree, you are likely to encounter some challenges in conducting genealogical research. There is quite a bit of legal red tape surrounding many modern-day adoptions, and older relatives may be unwilling to speak about adoptions because in the past, it was often considered a taboo topic of discussion. Whether you are an adoptee looking to contact your birth parents or you are just looking for information that will enable you to research your family tree, the challenges are the same. Beginning in the 1930s, the court system began … Continue reading →

Another Type of Adoption: Embryo Adoption

Soon after I became an adoption blogger for Families.com over two years ago, I wrote blogs introducing three kinds of adoption—domestic infant adoption, adoption from the child welfare system, and international adoption. But now there is another kind of adoption: embryo adoption. “Embryo adoption” or “Embryo donation” is when a couple donates unused embryos that were created and frozen during infertility treatment to another couple. These embryos are transferred to the womb of the recipient mother. Technically this is not “adoption” at all in most states, since most states agree that the legal mother of a child is the mother … Continue reading →

Starting A Shelter: Legal Stuff

Posted on by

There is so much legal stuff that goes into starting a shelter that it can be overwhelming! This checklist will at least help you get started; you may want to talk to a lawyer or someone from the Small Business Association for assistance. Incorporate or don’t incorporate? Incorporation can protect you from personally being held responsible for any number of things. That little “inc.” after your name helps lend credibility to your shelter. You can get your incorporation paperwork from your Secretary of State office or your state’s Corporation Commission. What’s in a name? You’ve got to register your corporate … Continue reading →

How We Chose the Type of Adoption that was Right for Us

Last week I wrote on “Choosing the Type of Adoption that is Right for You”. Today I’d like to share how we (my husband Charles and I) chose the type of adoption that was right for us. Our biological son was a toddler. We wanted to adopt a child younger than he was. We knew that many of the children in the US child welfare system were older children. I also didn’t think I could handle a legal-risk placement. Regarding domestic US infant adoptions, a couple of agencies wanted “proof of infertility”, and we weren’t infertile. One agency told us … Continue reading →

Adoption Insurance

In many cases families choose to adopt newborns placed by their mother at the time of birth or shortly after. In most cases, a mother has a period of time where she is legally able to change her mind. Private domestic infant Adoption includes a process where finances are invested for a desired outcome. Hopeful adoptive parents often fear a change of heart, and sometimes suffer great financial loss. In some adoption situations there are ways that potential adoptive parents can protect their finances during the adoption process. In some states Adoption insurance may be available to protect adoptive parents … Continue reading →

Embryo Adoption

The subject of embryo adoption has been getting a lot of attention lately, as a result of the debate about embryonic stem cell research. The debate about what to do with all the embryos in freezers in fertility clinics around the country rages on. One solution that is offered can actually help couples experiencing infertility issues. Embryos are often put up for adoption as a result of another couple’s infertility treatments. Sometimes a couple gets pregnant and has too many embryos left over. These sit in a freezer in a fertility clinic. If the couple decides they are done having … Continue reading →

Understanding The Adoption Process

Before I get much further into searching for a biological parent or searching for a biological child, it’s important to understand how the adoption process works and how it is recorded. It’s important to start any search with a basic knowledge of how you came to be where you are today. It’s also important to understand words and terminology used by the many individuals that you will be requesting help from during your search. Several weeks ago, I wrote a helpful blog with glossary terms that are exactly these terms I am speaking of. Typically an agency or independent adoption … Continue reading →

Black Market Adoption

Black market adoptions are an illegal practice. It usually involves the buying and selling of children and involves large sums of money. It is a sad but true fact that babies and children are bought and sold nationwide. They are illegally placed with an adoptive family. How do you know if your adoption was a Black Market Adoption? If you are having trouble locating any information at all on your adoption, even after very careful research, it is possible some illegalities were involved. In my own search, I found that some information was completely falsified, for instance my birth mother’s … Continue reading →

At What Age Can I Begin To Search?

One of the most often asked questions is – how old does an adoptee have to be before they can search? Unfortunately, there is not one single answer. Every state is different in it’s rules and regulations as to the age of consent to search. What you are looking for particularly is called The Age of Consent or The Age of Majority. This is the age at which a person residing in a particular state is legally considered an adult. This is a typical qualification for obtaining information from adoption records. Don’t misunderstand. You can start searching whenever you feel … Continue reading →

Adoption Search Glossary

When you are beginning an adoption search, things can seem confusing and intimidating. You will come across all types of red tape, unhelpful people and doors slammed in your face. However, remain strong. Do a little research beforehand to know what problems you might face each step of the way. One of the first things I learned was that terminology was totally different for an adoption case than any other situation. I had no idea what the difference between my original birth certificate and my amended certificate was. I also had no idea what or who a triad was. I … Continue reading →