Irvine Adoption Lawyer

Helping Change the Lives of Children and Their Families

Serving Clients in Orange County - Riverside County - Los Angeles County

Adoption is a life-changing event for a child and a new family. At the Orange County Law Offices of Melanie L. Oldham, we are honored to be a part of our clients' adoption processes. We use over ten years of legal experience to help smooth the way in a broad spectrum of adoptions:

• Private adoptions
• Domestic partner adoptions
• Stepparent adoptions
• Adoptions by grandparents and other relatives
• County supervised adoptions

We work with biological parents and potential adoptive parents, explaining the adoption process and answering questions about the law. Because we are a small law firm, our clients work directly with the knowledgeable attorney they hired — not an inexperienced associate. This means that you can always turn to attorney Melanie Oldham and her support staff for assistance from a legal team that knows you.

Steps in the Adoption Process

In California, adoption often begins by filling out a series of forms with your lawyer's assistance. The forms must be submitted to the judge, who will preside over terminating parental rights, and hold one or more hearings to decide whether or not to order the adoption.

You may face other requirements, depending on your situation. For example, the adoption process may require becoming a Guardian or De Facto parent first, which may lead to a consolidation with the adoption hearing. Or, in County adoptions, there may be a social worker who will prepare a home study that involves the members of the prospective adoptive family. This can be a long and often frustrating process.

It is the goal of this office to move the family through the administrative intricacies as quickly as possible and make this difficult process what it should be — a celebration of a new life for all members of the family.

Contact the Law Offices of Melanie L. Oldham

Contact us by calling our Irvine, California, law office at 949-622-5522 for a consultation. Off-site, evening and weekend appointments are available for our clients' convenience. We accept all major credit cards.