Providing for the Care of Children
The state of Missouri has several legal procedures to ensure that children are adequately cared for by people who have legal rights to provide that care.
If you are interested in adopting a child or gaining appointment as a legal guardian, contact us to schedule a free initial consultation with experienced 25-year family lawyer JoAnn C. Donovan.
Solidifying Relationships Through Adoption
Legally, adoption is a process for terminating the parental rights of a child's biological parents and creating new parental relationships. There are a variety of reasons why people go through the adoption process.
Some adoptions are facilitated by agencies that take responsibility for finding parents for children who have been voluntarily given up. If you are going through an agency adoption, legal counsel can help you understand the process and complete certain potentially important steps such as registration of an out-of-country adoption.
Stepparent adoption is another common circumstance. When one of a child's biological parents does not play a role in that child's life, adoption by a stepparent can give that child two active and legally recognized parents.
At JoAnn C. Donovan LLC Attorney at Law, we have helped clients through adoption in a variety of contexts. Contact us to learn more about the adoption process.
Establishing Legal GuardianshipWhen a child's primary caregiver is someone other than his or her parents — such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle — it may be important to get formal legal recognition of the custody relationship. In Missouri, the probate court can designate a legal guardian for a child without terminating the rights of the parents. This can be done with the parents' consent, or it can be imposed by the court if the parents are found to be unfit to care for the child. We have handled many guardianship cases in St. Louis County and St. Charles County and understand the unique legal standards that apply. |
