Stillings & Buchinger, LLC

open & closed adoptions

identified open adoptions & confidential closed adoptions

Open and closed adoptions are some of the more commonly known types of adoptions involving people other than stepparents or relatives.

Open Adoptions

Open adoptions keep the biological parents involved in the life of the adopted child after the adoption has terminated the biological parents' legal parental rights and transferred those rights to the adoptive parents. In an open adoption, the biological parents maintain some level of contact with the adoptive parents, and may maintain contact up to daily involvement with the adopted child, depending upon the agreement between the biological and adoptive parents. The adoptive parents control the type of relationship permitted between the adopted child and the biological parents.

Open Adoption Agreements

Open adoptions provide the means by which biological parents can remain involved in their biological child's life. The ongoing involvement of a biological parent can be a critical factor in a child's ability to understand and accept his or her adoption; likewise, it can also lead to problems for the child, the adoptive parents, or the biological parents.

The agreements that form the framework of an open adoption are critical. The negotiations and questions asked of each person involved in the relationship are equally critical. And finally, the manner in which those agreements are reached may affect the relationship, as well as sever it before it has begun. To ensure that those agreements are reached amicably, that they properly address the factors that may be affected in the future, and that they are legally binding in the future, the agreement should be formed by an attorney with experience in handling contracts, adoptions, family law matters, and dispute resolution. The attorneys at Stillings & Buchinger handle those types of matters every day.

Confidential Adoptions - Closed Adoptions

Where an open adoption seeks to provide the means by which an adopted child can meet and know his biological parents, a closed adoption seeks to do the opposite. Today, closed adoptions are commonly referred to as confidential adoptions.

• Agency Adoptions
• Identified Adoptions
• International Adoptions
• Open -v- Closed (or Confidential) Adoptions
• Relative Adoptions
• Special Needs Adoptions
• Stepparent Adoptions

Stillings & Buchinger, LLC is not an adoption agency, nor can they arrange an adoption. The attorneys at Stillings & Buchinger can help you ensure that the legal documentation has been handled properly, and they may be able to help you form those agreements between adoptive and biological parents. If you would like to discuss an adoption with an Attorney at Stillings & Buchinger, please contact the firm to arrange an initial consultation.