The issue of adoption and surrogacy remains one of the most compelling, yet controversy-ridden, aspects of growing your family. For the thousands who want to have a child by means of surrogacy or adoption in Utah, navigating the laws and many challenges can be difficult at best. Fortunately, an experienced, responsive attorney specializing in family law can help you make the move towards growing your family simple, and we encourage you to use our simple contact form to find out more about your case.
Our Utah adoption attorney at Wall & Wall Attorneys at Law has been helping families in this time of excitement and confusion for more than 40 years, and we know that you need an advocate for your voice to be heard. We do not want you to face an uphill struggle with adoption or surrogacy on your own, and we will take care of all legal aspects of the work for you. Give us a call today at 801-441-2388 to schedule a free case review.
How can Wall and Wall Attorneys at Law Help with Utah Adoption through an Attorney?
You must be informed to make important decisions in your life, and you need to be aware of the legal issues involved when you and your spouse are considering adoption or surrogacy. We assist people throughout the region with a wide range of challenges, including divorce, asset distribution, alimony, child support, child custody, guardianship, adoption, and surrogacy. Our experienced Utah surrogacy attorney team has successfully helped people with the following, most common adoption and surrogacy concerns.
- Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centers on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. We also have assisted couples in locating reputable surrogacy agencies in Utah.
- Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney.
- Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy – We can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child.
- Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child.
- Birth Certificates – We can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.
International Adoption Planning and Services
Our legal experts can help plan and achieve international adoptions as well as interstate adoptions. International adoptions are unlike domestic adoptions in that the child must receive U.S. citizenship if the adoptive parents plan to live in the United States. This process often starts with a specialized visa and then automatic citizenship is granted within months of returning to the United States. Each case is different and may require individualized paperwork and processing. Our law firm’s Utah Adoption Attorney specializes in dealing with these processes and are prepared to help with your international adoptions.
Adoption Questions
Below are frequently asked questions about adoption in Utah.
First, biological parents must give up their legal right, either willingly or unwillingly, for a child to be eligible for adoption.
Adoptees who are 12 years old or older are required to give their consent to the process. An allowance is made if the one to be adopted isn’t mentally able to consent. Children and adults alike can be adopted so long as all adoption laws are followed.
Adoptive families must be deemed physically and mentally fit to adopt a child. Also, families hoping to adopt will need to submit proof of their income. They’ll be required to show the ability to meet the basic needs of their prospective child. Emotional readiness to adopt is also assessed.
In addition, Utah families interested in adopting must be cleared through a home study provider licensed in the same state. This is necessary regardless of the type of adoption sought. Those adopting will go through background checks, family interviews, training courses and home visits among other requirements.
Basic adoption laws are pretty straightforward in the state of Utah. That doesn’t mean the process is easy, however. Adoption requirements in Utah can be confusing since they’re evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Besides the obvious requirements for adoption, legal nuances unique to your case will likely come into play as well.
For that reason, it’s always best to seek help from adoption lawyers in Utah. Choosing to hire an experienced adoption attorney who’s up on the details of Utah adoption laws will take you far. On your own, you will likely find the adoption process frustrating and very difficult to navigate. For help navigating the adoption process in Utah, Wall & Wall Attorneys at Law is here to help you with your adoption needs.
Utah law requires adoptive parents and foster parents to be at least 21 years of age. Also, adults must be at least ten years older than the child being adopted. In the case of a married couple, at least one adult needs to be at least 10 years older than the adoptee.
In the state of Utah, it will typically take at least six months. The child must stay in the home of the family hoping to adopt for at least six months before things can be finalized.
In this scenario, the biological parents of the child are granted a say in which family their child is adopted into. Also, parents may have the ability to visit with their child or continue a relationship with them.
If you’re wondering how to adopt a stepchild, the process is a little different. In the case of a stepparent hoping to adopt, the child must live in the home for at least one year before it can be finalized.
One common question our law office receives is, “Do you have to be married to adopt stepchild?” Since Utah requires couples to be married instead of cohabiting, marriage would be a prerequisite for adoption in this case.
Single adults can adopt in the state of Utah. Married adults need the consent of their spouse in order to adopt. In addition, a single adult who is unmarried but cohabits with another cannot adopt (living with another in a sexual relationship outside of marriage).
Contact our Salt Lake City, Utah Adoption Attorney to Get Started
Do you have additional questions about Utah adoption? Feel free to get in touch with our experienced SLC Utah adoption attorney at Wall & Wall Attorneys at Law. If you have been considering having a child through adoption or surrogacy, you need a Utah adoption attorney dedicated to protecting your rights.
The battle over single-parent and same-sex parental adoption and surrogacy has come to a close, and at Wall & Wall Attorneys at Law, we understand you have waited long enough to have the chance to expand your family and the love within your heart. We’d like to invite you to fill out our simple, online contact form to schedule a free, no obligation case review. By contacting us, you can discuss your situation and learn about your legal rights for adoption or surrogacy in Utah. Our Utah Adoption Attorney looks forward to helping your family. Give us a call at 801-441-2388.