Adoption

The process of legal adoption usually involves the termination of the parental rights of one or both biological parents. At the Law Office of J. Michael Clay we provide legal services in the area of adoption. As such, we take no part in “arranging adoptions” or locating children for purposes of adoption. Our role instead is to represent one party to an adoption and seek to facilitate and expedite the legal adoption process.

The most common type of private adoption (as opposed to an agency adoption) is a “step-parent” adoption, in which one spouse legally adopts the biological child of the other spouse. The parental rights of the other biological parent are then terminated. San Antonio Adoption Lawyer J. Michael Clay has helped many clients in this process.

In other types of adoption, both biological parents may voluntarily relinquish their parental rights, allowing for adoption of the child by (a) qualified adoptive parent(s). In the instance of involuntary terminations, adoptive parent(s) bring suit against the biological parent(s) to involuntarily terminate the parental rights of the biological parent(s). The Texas Family Code contains a number of grounds under which involuntary termination can be granted. The matter is then either resolved by agreement or else heard and resolved by a judge. San Antonio Adoption Attorney J. Michael Clay has the qualifications and experience necessary to represent clients involved in each of these types of adoption.

Under Texas law, a person is not required to be married in order to adopt a child. At the Law Office of J. Michael Clay, we provide affordable assistance to all clients, both single and married, seeking legal services in the area of adoption.

If you seek legal services in adoption, contact us for a cost-free consultation. We will answer your questions and determine if we can be of assistance to you.