Experienced Tampa and Riverview Adoption Lawyers.
At Lynette Silon-Laguna, P.A. in Riverview, Florida, we are experienced adoption attorneys for both stepfathers and stepmothers. We have handled stepparent and stepchild adoptions for over 12 years.
If you wish to adopt your minor or adult stepchild over the age of 18, we can help. We are familiar with the legal procedures that adoption involves, and are also skilled at building a strong case when a biological parent contests the adoption.
Are you interested in adopting your minor or adult stepchild? Call Lynette Silon-Laguna, P.A. at 813.672.1900 for a free initial consult.
Minor stepchild adoptions generally proceed smoothly if the biological parent consents to the adoption or a default is entered if the natural parent does not respond to the Petition or cannot be found. Only statutory requirements must be met to allow the adoption to occur.
The adoption of a minor stepchild may be complicated when a birth parent contests the adoption action. In the case of a contested adoption, we must prove that the parent was able to, but failed to provide support and to communicate with the child. Proof of the biological parent's abandonment of the child and "intent to reject parental responsibilities” is necessary for the transfer by the judge of parental rights and responsibilities from the biological parent to the stepparent.
The adoption of a child or adult can provide many benefits to both the adoptive "child" and the adoptive parent, including:
- The formal creation of a family
- Inheritance rights for the adopted child/adult. Once the adoption occurs, the adoptee and his or her biological siblings have full and equal inheritance rights, precluding complicated wills and preventing inheritance disputes
Contact Us
If you have questions regarding divorce, family law, bankruptcy or foreclosure defense, contact Lynette Silon-Laguna, P.A. We provide a free initial consultation, accept MasterCard and Visa, and charge reasonable and competitive rates. Furthermore, we have a highly qualified staff of legal assistants and associate attorneys, including a Spanish-speaking associate attorney.
Our office is conveniently located in the Brandon/Riverview area on Highway 301 South directly off of Interstate 75 near the intersection of Bloomingdale Avenue. Contact our firm by email or call 813.672.1900. We will respond immediately!
