Adoption Lawyers in Roswell and Cumming

We are Georgia Adoption Attorneys

The Sherman Law Group is a boutique law firm dedicated to serving its varied clientele.  Because of our depth of experience, we have a strong and well-known adoption law practice.  Whether you are a birth parent considering making an adoption plan or prospective adoptive parents desiring to adopt a newborn, the Sherman Law Group can assist you with every aspect of the adoption process.  And whether you are located in Fulton County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Forsyth County or Cherokee County, or anywhere else in the Metro Atlanta area, we can help you.  In short, if you are looking to adopt a child, we are adoption lawyers, and we can help.

Our experience as an Assistant Attorney General, a Senior Assistant County Attorney, and a Magistrate Judge is vital in assisting our clients with all their adoption needs.  We understand the laws, rules, and regulations that govern adoption in Georgia.

Call The Sherman Law Group at (678) 712-8561 to schedule your consultation today, or get in touch with us online using our easy-to-use online contact form.

Termination of Parental Rights

In many cases, a vital step in the adoption process is the termination of the parental rights of a parent.  That is because the adopting parent is seeking to replace that parent. In stepparent adoptions, the process usually begins by seeking the consent of the parent to relinquish his/her parental rights. This process can become more difficult if consent cannot be obtained. If that occurs, other avenues need to be explored to seek the termination of that parent's rights, and then the stepparent adoption can move forward.

What Are Some Issues That a Court Looks At?

Different procedures can be utilized to seek termination of parental rights. A parent can have his or her parental rights terminated for a number of reasons.  Courts will make termination decisions based upon factors, including:

• Abandonment
• Failure to support the child
• Failure to communicate with the child
• Mental illness or deficiency
• Parental unfitness due to abuse or neglect

Relative, Stepparent, Grandparent & Adult Adoptions

Additionally, we provide legal representation for relative, stepparent, grandparent and adult adoptions. We have the skill and experience necessary to represent clients requiring an attorney solely to terminate a parent's parental rights, to comply with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) in an interstate adoption, or to complete a re-adoption following an international adoption. Our office also has experience handling guardianships.

Conveniently located in North Fulton County and Forsyth County, GA, we serve clients throughout the Atlanta Metro Area, North Fulton County, and North Georgia.  Our principal mission is to guide you through the adoption process in the most highly professional, informative,e and compassionate manner possible, and to help ensure that your adoption is completed with a high level of diligence and care.  Every adoption, like every child and family, is unique and requires careful attention to the details.  The Sherman Law Group will provide the personal attention your adoption deserves and will competently advise you on every aspect of the adoption process.

Working With an Adoption Attorney in Roswell

Choosing the right legal team for an adoption is a major decision, especially when your case will be filed in local courts serving Roswell and the surrounding communities. When you work with us, we take time at the outset to learn about your family, your goals, and any unique circumstances that might affect the process, such as prior court orders, financial concerns, or interstate issues. We then explain how Georgia adoption procedures work in practical terms, including how petitions are filed, what to expect at hearings in courts such as the Fulton County courts, and how long each step may reasonably take.

We know that prospective adoptive parents are often anxious about paperwork, timelines, and how agencies, birth parents, and judges all fit together in the process. We help you organize the documents you need, prepare for home studies or background checks when required, and stay in communication about any developments in your case. For families looking for an adoption lawyer, Roswell families can turn to for clear guidance, our goal is to make the legal side as understandable and manageable as possible so you can focus on welcoming a child into your home.

Adoption Services

Here are some of the areas that utilize our expertise and experience in adoption matters:

• Agency-related and independent adoptions
• Single parent adoptions, stepparent adoptions and adult and grandparent adoptions
• Domestic "re-adoptions" of children following an international adoption
• Specific advice and guidance and referrals for couples and individuals trying to locate a child for adoption and/or determine what type of adoption is right for them; termination of birth parents' rights; and finalizations of adoptions.

In addition to some of the adoption services listed above, the Sherman Law Group represents birth mothers who have chosen to place a child for adoption, and handles guardianships (including disputed guardianships) and contested adoptions.

International Adoption -- The Hague Adoption Convention

Since 2008, the Hague Adoption Convention has governed international adoptions between the United States and other Convention member countries. The treaty established federal oversight of adoption agencies here and enacted policies for handling adoptions between countries. The goal is protection -- of children, birth parents, and adoptive families.  The treaty came about because of abusive and unethical adoption practices reported in the media, including child abduction and hidden fees.

The State Department now certifies agencies in the U.S.  Parents planning an international adoption must demonstrate to the State Department that the foreign country's agencies have followed certain procedures, including those related to counseling for the birth parents and that a local placement was attempted.

While probably lengthening the adoption process, these provisions should help protect parents from crooked and unethical agencies in other countries. An adoption of a foreign-born child can be accomplished through an American agency that focuses on international adoptions — or it can be done directly. Most people utilize an adoption agency, however, because direct adoption can be difficult for many reasons.

People Adopt For many Reasons

We have clients adopt for many reasons. Here are some typical ones:

• They prefer to adopt: Many people see adoption as the best way to begin or expand a family
• Medical reasons: Sometimes it is not safe to become pregnant
• Infertility: 1 in 8 couples can't conceive
• They are single: An unmarried person would love to be a parent

Male Infertility & Female Infertility

Sometimes a man or woman is infertile.  Some common causes of infertility include:

• A man may have sperm production problems
• Abnormal sperm shape can prevent sperm from proper movement
• A woman may suffer from ovulation dysfunction
• A woman may have a hormone issue
• An infection can cause female infertility
• A woman can develop anti-sperm antibodies, which destroy the sperm

IRS Tax Breaks -- Employer Assistance with Adoption

Some employers offer an adoption benefit.  Adopting a child can also be beneficial from a tax standpoint.  The IRS has a program called the Employer Assistance Adoption Program designed to facilitate adoption by making it more affordable.

Under the program, companies can pay up to a certain amount per child in pretax income towards an employee's adoption expenses.  Even if your employer pays some of your adoption expenses through this program, you may still be eligible for a credit on any qualifying expenses you incur over what your employer reimburses or pays directly. For families who adopt special needs children, there may be different documentation requirements for showing actual expenses.

If you are adopting or have adopted in recent years, make sure to speak with a knowledgeable accountant or tax professional (we are not tax attorneys) regarding the complex tax credits and rules to help ensure that you take full advantage of any tax benefits that may be available.  You may also be able to amend prior tax filings if you did not claim certain benefits in recent years.

Celebrities Who Adopted Children or Were Adopted Themselves or Placed A Child For Adoption

Celebrities of all sorts have either adopted children, were adopted themselves or placed a child for adoption. Here is just a partial list of of famous people who have been involved with adoption:

• Faith Hill
• Gerald Ford
• Madonna
• Katherine Heigl
• Daunte Culpepper
• Sheryl Crow
• Tom Cruise
• Nicole Kidman
• Bill Clinton
• Angelina Jolie
• Brad Pitt
• Michelle Pfeiffer
• Bruce Willis
• Babe Ruth
• Lionel Ritchie
• Diane Keaton
• Jesse Jackson
• Joni Mitchell
• Andy Kaufman
• Kate Mulgrew
• David Crosby
• Jamie Lee Curtis
• Roseanne Barr
• Hugh Jackman
• Snooki
• Meg Ryan
• Rachel Crow
• Nia Vardalos

Academic Scholarships for Adopted Kids

Did you know that there are academic scholarships specifically for adopted and foster children?

These scholarships include:

Scholarship Zone $10,000 Award

Done by a random drawing, this program is geared for foster and adopted children. It provides funds that can be used toward educational expenses and can be applied for with a simple application. It is hosted by Free Scholarships, LLC.

Casey Family Scholars Program

A program that is among the larger scholarship options for foster and adopted children. It provides financial assistance each school year to students who have previously lived in private or public foster care and adoption programs.

Armstrong Family Foundation Scholars Program

If you are adopted, live in Arizona, and plan to study at Arizona State University, this scholarship may be an option. These scholarships typically require a 3.0 or better GPA, and each award is valued at several thousand dollars. The number of scholarships awarded varies each academic year.

These are just a few of the scholarships out there. We encourage you to do some research to find even more opportunities that exist.

Call Us Now in Roswell and Cumming

Adopting a child is one of the happiest events any parent can experience. If you want to adopt a child, we certainly can help, advise, and guide you through the entire process.  Our experience is key for you. Having been appointed a Senior Assistant County Attorney and an Assistant Attorney General, William H. Sherman has a vast amount of knowledge to help you. Attorney Valerie W. Sherman, a veteran Magistrate Judge and Assistant County Attorney, brings years of valuable experience, both inside and outside of court, to advise her clients.

Call the Sherman Law Group today at (678) 712-8561, or contact us online to arrange a consultation. For your convenience, we offer a variety of representation options, and we are centrally located in Roswell, GA and Cumming, GA.