The traditional definition of a family, comprised of a mother, father and children, has evolved into a much more fluid notion in modern society. As society becomes more accepting of different gender identities and lifestyles, the concept and content of a family must progress as well.
A longstanding method of expanding a family beyond conventional reproduction was through the adoption of children, including adoption by step-parents. Adoption offers blended families a greater ability to find cohesion, and gives a step-parent legal authority and rights over the life of a child likely viewed as equivalent to his/her own. Step-parent adoptions may appear as somewhat perfunctory and require minimal paperwork because the child is not from an outside source. However, adoptions of children are always treated with a high degree of formality because of the nature of the rights being granted and the necessity of terminating one parent’s rights in favor of the step-parent.
Hiring a Lawyer in a Step-Parent Adoption
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