THE FOLLOWING IS GENERAL INFORMATION WHICH YOU MAY
FIND HELPFUL. SINCE EVERY CASE IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT,
YOU SHOULD CALL OUR OFFICE AT (410) 358-4338 FOR A FREE
CONSULTATION.

(Please note that we are a law office, not an adoption agency.  We are not able to
assist you in locating a child available for adoption.)

How long does an adoption take?

This is a difficult question.  Maryland law requires either the consent of the
biological parents or notification to the biological parents that an adoption is
taking place.  In cases where a parent must be notified, how long it takes to
complete the adoption will depend partly upon how long it takes to locate and
notify the parent.  In some cases, a Judge may require publication of an
announcement in a newspaper before agreeing to proceed with the adoption.

Maryland law requires a hearing to be held in every adoption case.  
Therefore, how long it takes to complete the adoption also depends partly upon
the Court’s schedule.


Notifying the biological parents

In cases where a parent does not sign a written consent, the law requires
that the parent be notified of the adoption even though, in most cases, the parent
does not object to the adoption.  If the adoptive parents do not know the
whereabouts of a biological parent, the Court requires them to take certain steps
to try to locate him or her.  For example, it may be necessary to contact the post
office to see if the parent left a forwarding address or to check with the Motor
Vehicle Administration to see whether they have any relevant information.  Also,
the Court would expect an adoptive parent to attempt to contact a biological
parent through an employer, friend or relative, if known.  Our office will assist
you with these efforts.

If the biological parent cannot be located after reasonable efforts, the
adoptive parent must sign an affidavit outlining the efforts that have been made.  
In most cases, a Judge will then permit the matter to proceed.


Other Requirements

Required documentation for an adoption varies.  However, in all cases the
Court will need copies of the birth certificates for the children to be adopted, a
marriage license if the adoptive parents are married, copies of income tax
returns for the adoptive parents and a statement from a physician about the
health of the children to be adopted and the adoptive parents.

What kind of results can I expect?

Our office has assisted hundreds of clients in successful
adoption cases.  Although the process is often tedious, almost all clients find the
results highly gratifying.  After all, it’s an exciting thing to be creating a new
family!

Call 410-358-4338 today for your free consultation!