Adoption can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in an individual’s life. It creates not only an emotional bond, but also a legal bond. There are several types of adoption, and the Port St. Lucie adoption attorneys at Cunzo Law Firm are prepared to help you understand your legal options and determine the type of adoption best suited to your circumstances.
Founding attorney Kim Cunzo, represents individuals and families throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast in a wide range of adoption matters, with a primary focus on stepparent and relative adoptions. Contact Cunzo Law Firm to learn how we can assist you.
Adults who live and work in Florida, are of good character, and have the ability to nurture and provide for a child’s material needs may adopt. Single adults, as well as married couples, may adopt. A stepparent may also adopt his or her spouse’s child. Cunzo Law Firm has experience handling same-sex adoption matters.
Having helped many families navigate the often complex adoption process, Cunzo Law Firm understands the concerns you may face and can help guide you through them. Florida recognizes four primary types of adoption: entity adoption (agency- or intermediary-facilitated adoption), stepparent adoption, close-relative adoption, and adult adoption. Each type of adoption involves its own legal procedures and requirements.
With a comprehensive understanding of Florida’s adoption laws, our attorneys are committed to helping individuals and families build strong futures through the adoption process.
Entity Adoption: When pursuing an entity adoption, prospective adoptive parents must decide whether to pursue the adoption through an agency or an attorney (“intermediary”). This type of adoption involves individuals who are not related to the child.
Entity adoptions typically require both biological parents to relinquish their parental rights and often involve a home study conducted by a third-party agency. The agency will review the adoptive home and conduct criminal background checks on the individuals living in the household.
Cunzo Law Firm is highly knowledgeable about the legal steps involved in entity adoptions and is prepared to assist clients with:
Because entity adoptions often involve additional legal procedures, especially in cases where the biological parents do not consent, the process may take several months or longer to complete.
Stepparent Adoption: Stepparent adoption creates a legal relationship between a child and his or her stepparent. After the adoption is finalized, the stepparent assumes all legal rights and responsibilities of a biological parent. In stepparent adoptions, as with all other adoptions, a child who is 12 years of age or older must provide written consent to the adoption, which is then filed with the court.
When you consult with Cunzo Law Firm regarding a stepparent adoption, you can expect our attorney to work closely with you to understand your family’s circumstances and guide you through the legal steps necessary to complete the adoption. Our firm can assist you with:
In a stepparent adoption, once the biological mother or father has been properly served and has consented to the adoption, or if the biological parent fails to attend the final hearing, the judge may enter a Final Judgment of Adoption, thereby terminating the biological parent’s parental rights. Because home studies are not required in stepparent adoptions, the adoption process is often much quicker.
In addition to stepparent and non-relative adoptions, Cunzo Law Firm also assists clients with relative adoptions (when a minor is related to one of the adoptive parents within the third degree of consanguinity, such as an aunt, uncle, or grandparent), same-sex adoptions, and adult adoptions.
At Cunzo Law Firm, our goal is to help clients develop realistic expectations for their adoption matters by educating them about the applicable laws and legal procedures involved in the adoption process. We are committed to making the process as smooth, efficient, and affordable as possible.
We guide adoptive families through every step in St. Lucie, Martin, and Indian River counties, as well as Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and Brevard.
Contact Cunzo Law Firm Today
We invite you to contact Cunzo Law Firm at 772-409-4353 or contact us online for a confidential phone or in-office consultation regarding your family law matter. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We represent clients throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards, as well as personal checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks.