Terminating Parental Rights in Tennessee
Friday, August 21st, 2020
The first stage in any adoption proceeding is terminating parental rights of the biological parents. Unless you are pursuing a stepparent adoption, you must terminate both biological parents’ rights. A court will only terminate a parent’s rights if the petitioner can prove at least one of the legal grounds to terminate. The petitioner must also […]
Read More »Social Security Benefits for Adopted Grandchildren
Friday, August 14th, 2020
At Held Law Firm, many of the adoption clients we see are grandparents seeking to adopt their grandchildren. However, many people in this group are unable to work. They rely on Social Security Retirement or Disability benefits for their income. Adopting and raising children is always a challenge, but it can be especially difficult for people living on […]
Read More »Harmony Family Center on the Journey of Adoption
Friday, July 24th, 2020
Guest blog by Harmony Family Center. When you hear the word “adoption,” what comes to mind? You might be surprised that adoption in the United States and here in Tennessee often doesn’t look like what you imagine — a baby brought home from the hospital by their forever family or adoption from another country. In fact, most […]
Read More »Adoption Resources: The First Steps to a Bigger Family
Wednesday, June 24th, 2020
Beginning the adoption process often feels overwhelming. Finding out where to start is a good first step. Luckily, there are a variety of adoption resources available to prospective adoptive families. Below, we have outlined some of those resources for people looking to welcome a new addition to their family. Tennessee State Adoption Assistance Program ⇨ […]
Read More »Adult Adoption: Formalizing a Family
Friday, June 19th, 2020
When people think of adoptions, they most think of the process of adopting a child. However, adults can be adopted. Adult adoption involving an individual over the age of 18 occurs primarily for 2 reasons: to formalize an existing parental relationship, or for inheritance purposes. Many people are not raised by their biological parents. However, […]
Read More »Kinship Adoption and Custody Placement
Monday, June 15th, 2020
If you are worried that your minor child relative is not in a safe home, you may be considering becoming a guardian or even adopting the child. This issue arises when a child is being abused or neglected by the parents or caregivers. This can also include instances in which the parents or caregivers are engaging […]
Read More »The Adoption Process in Tennessee
Thursday, June 11th, 2020
The adoption process in Tennessee is lengthy but worth it. The steps include terminating biological parental rights, determining eligibility, completing a home study, and formalizing the adoption. Terminating Rights To adopt a child in Tennessee, the parental rights of the biological parents of the child must be terminated. The state may terminate parental rights when […]
Read More »Abandonment and Terminating Parental Rights
Tuesday, May 5th, 2020
Before a child can be adopted, the biological parent(s) must have their rights terminated. The most common (and easiest) way to terminate those rights is to prove that the biological parent(s) have “abandoned” the child. A parent is guilty of legal abandonment if, for a period of four consecutive months, they either fail to visit or […]
Read More »Adoption Bill Targets LGBTQ Individuals in Tennessee
Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020
Tennessee legislators have passed a new bill targeting LGBT individuals who hope to adopt or provide foster care in the state. This adoption bill allows child placement agencies to discriminate against any group that clashes with the organization’s religious ideals or internal policies. If Governor Bill Lee signs the bill into law, these agencies can legally […]
Read More »Divorce and Adoption
Tuesday, April 30th, 2019
A reality in the world of family law is that families sometimes fracture through divorce. Families with adopted children are no different. This might be because new parents are not quite ready to deal with the stress of the adoption process and raising children. A marriage may have already been on the rocks when they […]
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