Salt Lake City Adoption Lawyer | Child Adoption Attorney | Adoption Attorney
Melvin Cook has a full-service adoption practice. Our Salt Lake City adoption attorney is involved with hundreds of adoptions per year. Call us at 801-746-5075
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9571 South 700 East, Suite 104 Sandy, , UT 84070
Call: 801-746-5075

Salt Lake City Adoption Attorney

COMMITTED TO CREATING & PROTECTING NEW FAMILIES

Though they can sometimes be bittersweet, most of the adoptions I have seen over the years are happy occasions. The new adoptive parents sometimes decorate the courtroom with balloons or streamers, and the judge sometimes comes off the bench to pose for pictures with the new family. Salt Lake City guardianships are much the same way; most people are usually happy in the knowledge that the child’s needs are being met.

My name is Melvin A. Cook and I am a Salt Lake City adoption attorney. There are few things more rewarding than being a parent. Adoption is a wonderful way to provide what every child needs–a loving home. It is always a good day when I can help perform a stepparent adoption, agency adoption or foreign adoption. I can also assist with any guardianship issues you may have with any minor child.

WHAT ARE SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEGAL ADOPTION IN SALT LAKE CITY?

There are many ways to build a new family, and a Salt Lake City adoption attorney can help with nearly all these methods. The law gives preference to adoption by a married mother and father. Some adoptions I routinely handle include:

  • Stepparent adoptions — If the adopting parent is married to the child’s custodial parent, the child has lived with the adopting parent for at least one year, and the adopting parent is at least 10 years older than the child, the parents may file a petition for stepparent adoption. Such a proceeding is made much easier if all parties, including the child’s noncustodial parent, agree to the adoption. A stepparent adoption effectively terminates the parental rights of the other biological parent.
  • Re-adoption — Utah, and 17 other states, does not recognize foreign adoption decrees. If you adopted an international child overseas, you must re-adopt the child in a Utah family court. Re-adoption has other advantages: your child receives a U.S. birth certificate and you may legally change the child’s name, if desired.
  • Agency adoption — Utah has very strict rules regarding agency adoptions, including the counseling that the biological parents must receive at no charge to them, the fee an agency can pay the biological parents and the legal notices to be released. I would be glad to discuss a potential agency adoption with you and can walk you through the entire process.

CONTACT A SALT LAKE CITY ADOPTION LAWYER SERVING FAMILIES FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS

There are countless children that desperately need a loving home to develop and grow into responsible adults. Adoption is one of the best ways to help make a difference in a child’s life.  An adoption may be less confrontational than other family law proceedings, but they are not easy. I focus on family law matters to make these situations easier on your family. Contact, Melvin A. Cook today at 801-746-5075 or online to schedule your free consultation with a Salt Lake City Adoption Attorney.

 

Contact a Salt Lake City Attorney Committed to Protecting Your Rights

When it comes the family law and social security disability , each client and case is different. It is also important to select an attorney with the experience, skills and professionalism required to address your legal issues. To learn more, contact the Salt Lake City law offices of Melvin A. Cook and schedule an initial consultation to discuss your case.

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