San Diego Family Attorney

Lawyer for Step Parent Adoption Cases in San Diego, CA

When a child’s biological parent is out of the picture, it is frequently a good idea for their stepparent to take control of the situation and help fill that role. Unfortunately, just because you act as the child’s parent at home doesn’t make you a legal guardian. To make your position in their life official, you must legally adopt your stepchild. A San Diego family attorney can help walk you through the complex adoption process.

Legal adoption of a child can protect your rights, as well as those of the child and may strengthen your emotional bond as well. The first step of this process is to get the biological parent to relinquish their rights to the child. This can be a daunting task in situations where the parent is hard to track down, unknown or when he or she wishes to maintain rights, despite a lack of interest in acting as a parent. In certain cases, a court decision will be required to involuntarily terminate the rights of the biological parent. A San Diego family attorney can be critical in helping you terminate the rights of the biological parent.

If something happens to your spouse, a legal adoption will put your in charge of the child. Similarly, if you are a legal guardian, you are entitled to visitation rights if you and your spouse separate. If you want to be certain you have rights to your beloved stepchild, it is important to discuss adoption with a San Diego family lawyer.

At The Law Offices and Mediation Center of Julia Garwood, we understand how important your family is to you. Contact a San Diego divorce attorney in our offices today to discuss your options regarding guardianship.

The Law Offices & Mediation Center of Julia M. Garwood
Julia M. Garwood, CFLS
1450 Frazee Road, Suite 602
San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: (619) 692-8100
Fax: (619) 692-1050
Julia@GarwoodFamilyLaw.com

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