Adoption Attorney in Corvallis

Oregon Adoption Laws

Family Portrait Oregon allows the adoption of stepchildren, relatives, unrelated children, or even adults in certain circumstances. The creation of a new family through adoption can be made by a single individual, an unmarried couple, a gay individual, or a gay couple. To adopt a child one of the parties involved (the adopting parent, placement parent, or individual being adopted) must have been an Oregon resident for at least 6 months and any individual being adopted over the age of 14 must consent to the adoption.

Are you planning on adopting your a child? To guide you through the legal process and ensure favorable outcomes, seek the help of Jennifer I. Nash & Nicolas Ortiz, P.C. With over 40 years of combined legal experience, our Corvallis family law attorneys have been helping families throughout Oregon in a wide variety of legal matters.

We have experience working with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and other adoptive agencies. Let us put our skills to work for you, call the firm and schedule an initial consultation.

The Oregon Stepparent Adoption Process

Stepparent adoption is possible in the State of Oregon given the biological parents gives their consent; however, this is not necessary in cases of mental incapacitate, imprisonment, & abandonment. Additionally, the adopting stepparent must have at least 6 months of Oregon residency.

The process for stepparent adoption includes:

Filing the adoption petition to court
Filing of other related paperwork including a criminal history check
Drafting a letter to the state to inform them of the adoption
Request for a new or amended birth certificates

In Oregon, a home study is generally not required. If everything goes smoothly, you are looking at finalizing the adoption as fast as three months. However, complications may arise with the other parent of the child. The state requires that the stepparent should have the consent of the natural parent before the adoption process can proceed. If the natural parent has contested the termination of their parental rights, rest assured that we will carefully evaluate the situation and advise you on how to proceed.

We believe that adoption is a gift to both parents and children, and we are committed to helping the family you’ve built obtain recognition from the law. As your counsel, we are here to make sure that we don’t overlook anything or commit costly mistakes. We work closely with you from preparing the necessary documents to finalizing and confirming the adoption.

Call us at (541) 243-0678 to secure the legal services of Jennifer I. Nash & Nicolas Ortiz, P.C. today.