According to the National Adoption Clearinghouse, more than 120,000 children are adopted in the United States each year. This almanac sets forth the various types and circumstances of adoption, the adoption process, and the state and federal laws governing adoption. Consent requirements and the rights of putative fathers are also examined, and the pros and cons of open adoptions-i.e., where contact with the birth family is maintained-are explored. This almanac also discusses the costs and tax benefits of adoption, and the availability of adoption assistance for special needs children. Post-adoption considerations, such as access to birth records and inheritance issues are also set forth in this almanac. This almanac also presents an overview of international adoption. The Appendices provide applicable statutes, forms, resource directories, and state summaries for comparison, as well as other pertinent information and data. The Glossary contains definitions of many of the terms used throughout the almanac.

This title is the first of its kind -- it is a deskbook detailing the intricacies of U.S. domestic adoption law and policy. This deskbook is geared for use as a reference by the adoption law attorney, adoption professional, and law students. This book, written in clear and concise language, provides an in-depth discussion and analysis of adoption law. In addition to 14 chapters addressing the most critical topics of adoption law and policy (including, for example, consent, ICWA and TRA), the guide offers a chart of the current statutes from all 50 states, a detailed bibliography, a discussion of key Federal legislation, and much more. This book is a must have for all family law attorneys in general, and all adoption attorneys and adoption professionals in particular.

This book analyses the social and legal functions of adoption in selected societies worldwide, and reviews the current global wave of adoption law reform. The author explores trends such as inter-country adoption, and examines similarities and differences in the experience of many nations. The book also provides a window for testing the presumption that within and between cultures there exists a common understanding of what is meant by adoption.

In recent decades, there have been many changes to adoption law and practice, such as a sharp decline in the voluntary relinquishment of children, an increase in the number consigned to public care, and an abrupt decrease in those made available on an intercountry basis. Additionally, human rights are becoming more prominent, particularly in relation to issues such as: non-consensual adoption; the ethics of intercountry adoption; the eligibility of LGBT adopters; the impact of commercial surrogacy; and the sometimes conflicting rights of birth parents and adoptees when accessing agency birth records. In this book, O’Halloran presents a comparative analysis of the interaction between adoption law and human rights in common law (England and the US), civil law (France and Germany), and Asiatic traditions (Japan and China), while also developing a matrix of legal functions to assist in identifying and analysing areas of tension between human rights and adoption. This book is intended for a lawyer readership, whether professional, student or academic: researchers and postgraduate students in subjects such as social work, social policy and politics may also find it helpful.

Adoption is a process that can require both time and patience. This guide helps you efficiently handle all steps in an adoption case, from consultation through finalization. Jennifer Fairfax, an experienced adoption attorney covers the primary types of adoption, both domestic and international, and examines the full range of issues impacting the adoption process, including the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, special needs, adult, and stepparent adoptions, financing and tax issues, open records, and wrongful adoption.