After a divorce, family dynamics change when children are involved. When a parent remarries, the new spouse may begin to take on an important parenting role in the life of the child — especially if the other biological parent is no longer in the child's life.
At The Dickerson Law Group, our firm helps stepparents pursue a legal relationship with a child through adoption. As in all family law matters involving children in Nevada, the goal of the courts is to make determinations that are in the best interests of the child involved. Contact a Las Vegas stepparent adoption lawyer to learn more about adopting a step child.
Stepparent Adoptions
When a stepparent adopts the child of his or her spouse, the stepparent assumes the legal responsibility of raising the child and providing care and love. Often, a stepparent may not feel it necessary to legally establish the parental/child relationship through adoption. However, it is important to establish the legal relationship for many reasons. Namely, if something happened to the child's biological parent, the stepparent may not have any legal rights. When an adoption is complete, the stepparent has all the legal rights as a biological parent.
In order for a stepparent adoption to be completed, the parental rights of the noncustodial parent must be terminated. This is done by filing a petition in court. Once complete, the noncustodial biological parent does not have a legally recognized role in the life of the child, and the stepparent can proceed with seeking an adoption. When both of the biological parents and potential adoptive parent consent, the adoption process can be completed quickly. The adoptive parent gains the rights afforded to a biological parent. However, when there is disagreement, the termination of one parent's parental rights can become a hotly disputed issue. Our goal is to work with both parents to come to an agreement that is in the best interest of the child.
Termination of Parental Rights
The Nevada Supreme Court refers to termination of parental rights as the "civil death penalty." Taking away a parent's rights is not easy, especially when that termination is being disputed. Courts are more open when a termination is voluntary, particularly in cases of stepparent adoption. However, they set high standards when one parent argues against the loss of their rights. As with any area of family law practice that involves children, the best interests of the child come first. Our attorneys have successfully terminated the parental rights of an uninvolved parent and defended a parent fighting to keep their rights.
Terminating the rights of parents can be a complicated legal process with highly charged emotional elements. It represents a final step to protect children who have suffered from abuse or abandonment. Our law firm has the experience and commission to help you with all of the legal issues concerning termination of parental rights.
Contact a Las Vegas Termination of Parental Rights Lawyer
Stepparent adoptions and the termination of parental rights are two separate legal proceedings that often go hand-in-hand. If you are interested in learning more about the legal processes involved, contact our law firm to talk to a Las Vegas, Nevada, termination of parental rights attorney today.
