Adoption

In Tennessee, gays and lesbians are able to adopt, but they may face obstacles that other people do not. While there are thousands of children who are lingering in the foster care system around the country, some gays and lesbians who are willing to adopt them may...

When Tennessee residents want to adopt a child, it must be approved by an adoption court. This is true whether the adoption itself was handled by an agency or by private means. A hearing will be held, and parties such as the child's biological parents will need to be...

Birth parents, legal guardians and guardians ad litem generally all may have the right to place a child for adoption. Tennessee is one of 46 states that allows private adoptions. Also known as "independent adoption", this is a process that cuts out the adoption agency...

When a Tennessee resident marries a person with children, he or she is often referred to as a stepparent. However, it is a relatively easy process for that person to adopt the children and become their other legal parent. The process is typically expedited because the...

For many generations, almost all adoptions in Tennessee were "closed." In closed adoptions, the birth parents were not allowed to contact the child or adoptive parents and vice versa. These days, however, open adoptions are trending. In these adoptions, all of the...

In a perfect world, all children would be born to parents who are willing and able to care for them. However, there are situations, throughout Tennessee and around the country, in which parents find themselves coping with an unplanned pregnancy. In some cases, placing...

If parents in Tennessee or elsewhere in America are unable to take care of their children, a grandparent could try to adopt them. If a grandparent is allowed to adopt the child, he or she is formally recognized as his or her legal parent. Parents may be declared unfit...

Many people worry that adoption will cost too much, so they may never start the process. Interestingly, adoptions can cost very little or be extremely expensive depending on the route you choose. What kind of funding options are there for adoptions? Some agencies use...

Tennessee couples who are considering adoption might wonder what it may cost. This depends upon what kind of adoption it is and may range from very little to as much as $50,000 or more. There are four main ways that people may adopt. In a private agency adoption,...