Adoption

While Tennessee Republican representative Diane Black has garnered attention for her vocal support for adoption, LGBTQIA couples and individuals seeking to adopt have not felt that same level of support. Black has spoken about adoption on Twitter as well as in...

The adoption process allows children who were born into unfavorable situations to live in families with people who love and support them. However, because there are a lot of people involved, including the birth mother, birth father, child and adoptive parents,...

Individuals who are in same-sex relationships are generally allowed to adopt children. As with any other potential adoption in Tennessee, it would need to be determined that approving an application is in a child's best interest. To that end, a representative of the...

In Tennessee, a person who is at least 18 years old can adopt regardless of their relationship status. Those who are married may be allowed to adopt on their own if their spouse is not competent to do so. Stepparents may adopt a spouse's child after getting married to...

In most cases, it is necessary to obtain consent from biological parents before a child can be placed for adoption. One exception to this need for consent is if the parents' parental rights have been terminated by the court. In Tennessee, there is a three-day waiting...

Tennessee residents who wish to adopt have the option of picking a child from a foreign country. In such a scenario, the adoptive parent or parents would need to follow the laws and procedures of that country. The Department of State can provide information as to what...

People in Tennessee who wish to adopt a child must go before a court to legally acquire parental rights to the child. Prospective parents might work with an adoption agency or independently arrange for an adoption. Similar to custody determinations in divorce cases,...

A Tennessee resident may be able to become a parent even if that person didn't have a role in creating a child. The adoption process allows individuals throughout the country the opportunity to provide a permanent home to a young person who needs one. Adoptions can...

For Tennessee residents who are looking to start or expand their families, an open adoption may be worth looking into. In this scenario, the adoptive family and the birth family maintain some form of regular contact with each other. This could range from sending...