Adoptions and Guardianships for
Illinois Step-Parents and Other Relatives
You don't have to be the biological mother or father of a child in order to be a parent to that child in every other sense of the word.
At the law offices of Scott B. Meyer, we recognize that fact and so do the southern Illinois courts. Today, an important part of our practice involves helping step-parents, grandparents and other concerned relatives obtain legal guardianships or successfully complete the adoption process.
For an experienced attorney who'll pay careful attention to your individual needs, keep you informed and work with you to achieve your goals, call or contact us today.
Guardianships
Grandparents and other concerned relatives can seek legal guardianship or even custody of minor children whose parents are in some way, unfit or unable to take care of the children themselves because of mental illness, alcoholism, drug abuse or some other type of underlying issue. A guardianship gives legal decision-making authority and may allow the guardian to provide health insurance coverage for the children under their own employment-related medical plans.
Step-Parent and Relative Adoptions
To complete a step-parent adoption, or to legally adopt a child as a blood relative, the parental rights of the biological mother or father (or both) must be terminated first. The mother or father may choose to terminate their own rights voluntarily, or they might contest the adoption vigorously. In either case, it is very important to give the biological parent(s) proper notice of your intent.
Talk to a Lawyer ...
Call 618-207-3139 or
Our practice covers St. Clair County and the surrounding portions of southern Illinois.
