Adoption is a very emotional and complicated area of family law. Each case can vary widely compared to the next. In many cases, the adoption process may entail the termination of parental rights. This aspect of an adoption is one area that can either be a simple matter of consent or can lead to litigation for a Pennsylvania family.
One approach to termination of parental rights in order to proceed with an adoption is to explain the benefits of a parent willingly terminating those rights. For some parents, termination of parental rights can free that parent from the financial responsibility of the child and pave the way for an ex-spouse to let the child be adopted by a new partner or spouse. This can be a delicate process and also the least confrontational way to go forward with an adoption.
If consent isn’t given by one parent, litigation may be necessary. Intricate laws must be dealt with before the process moves forward. One law states that the termination of parental rights cannot go forward until the parent has no contact with the child for six months. Time may be of the essence when adoption is moving forward.
The laws pertaining to the adoption process vary from county to county. This means it is imperative that anyone involved in the adoption process be aware of any differences and how those differences, even slight variances, can impact a case or disrupt the process altogether. Our website has some more information about the adoption process and how different family dynamics can play a role in how the process unfolds for a Pennsylvania family.