DEAR ADOPTING PARENTS

About Your Decision
Legal Services: California Clients
Legal Services: Out of State Clients
Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you help us locate and match with a birth parent?
What if we only want to adopt a girl?
Are you always reachable?
What expenses should we expect?
What is a home study?
What if the birth father doesn’t cooperate?
Are we reimbursed if the adoption is disrupted?
Do you charge for a consultation?
Why should we hire you?

Do you help us locate and match with a birth parent?

Yes, in a myriad of ways. I present clients to birth parents who contact me through colleagues, doctors, social workers and families with whom I’ve worked throughout the years. I assist in advertising, a key resource for locating birth parents by writing and placing ads where legally allowed and screening and counseling respondents.

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What if we only want to adopt a girl?

We give great latitude to our clients in deciding what kind of adoption is best for them, whether it is a matter of gender, race, time frame, budget, or openness. Every couple is uniquely matched to a birth parent.

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Are you always reachable?

I am available 24 hours a day by pager, cell phone, e-mail and voice mail. Birth parents have a toll free 800 number to contact me at any time. While my paralegal has been with me since 1981 and can handle many emergencies, rest assured, I am always reachable and I, alone, am responsible for every aspect of your case.

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What expenses should we expect?

Usually, birth parents need living expenses since they cannot work a few months preceding and following the birth. Medical bills may or may not be covered by state assistance like Medicaid. In interstate matters, you will retain an attorney and/or agency to assist in the baby’s hospital release and that state’s legalities.

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What is a home study?

A home study is an evaluation by a public or private licensed adoption agency that gives you the “stamp of approval” to adopt. Don’t worry - it is more informative than investigative. It is required in every adoption; however, state laws and agency regulations differ as to what needs to be included and assessed as well as to when it needs to be completed - whether before or after the adoptive placement. Your attorney will likely guide you in the process of selecting an appropriate agency.

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What if the birth father doesn’t cooperate?

This is a complicated question best answered by your attorney with specificity in your case. A birth father does not have to sign a consent to be cooperative; there are court actions which dispense with his consent. Some states have registries which require the birth father to take action or lose rights. It is imperative to get the complete legal picture to assess the very real risks of proceeding if the father is not notified because his identity or location is unknown, or in the worst case, he is threatening to disrupt the adoption.

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Are we reimbursed if the adoption is disrupted?

Birth parents have no legal obligation to repay expenses if they change their mind. You may be eligible for an adoption tax credit of up to $10,000 of adoption expenses, so you should consult your tax professional in both successful and failed adoption opportunities. Remember that an experienced adoption attorney can protect you emotionally and financially.

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Do you charge for a consultation?

I encourage you to call me to obtain more information about me and our office fees and policies. I will give you a lot of basic information in your initial phone inquiries providing answers to general questions. I offer a brief introductory meeting at no charge. If you decide to retain me, a lengthy consultation is scheduled for which a fee is charged commensurate with the services and resource materials we provide.

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Why should we hire you?

I offer clients a quarter century of legal experience almost entirely dedicated to the practice of adoptions. I have the unique advantage of bringing to the table my experience as a teacher, adoptive parent, and visionary. I believe being a woman gives me a tremendous advantage in nurturing and supporting birth mothers to keep their resolve to make an adoptive placement and to relate well with their families, particularly their mothers. I have good intuition and work to provide adopting parents and birth parents a conducive environment for a successful placement. I have come up with ideas which others have helped me draft into positive adoption laws in California. I singularly founded the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys which keeps our membership educated and informed on all aspects of adoption and provides a strong referral base. Most importantly, I have a very personal practice evidenced by the fact that I am still in touch with a great many of our families and offer a life-long service of intermediating photos and communication, including updated health information, between adoptive and birth families.

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The Law Offices of Karen R. Lane
Specializing in:
Independent Adoptions; Agency Adoptions; Interstate Adoptions; Adult Adoptions;
Step-Parent Adoptions; Guardianships; Mediation

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