My Work: Adoption & All Related Family Law Matters

Adoption is an intimate and emotional legal process that brightens so many lives. Adoptive parents get dreams realized as a healthy, happy baby enters their lives. Birth parents, after a difficult decision, rest easy that their gift of life is passed on to a loving, caring couple. Most importantly, an innocent child is given new opportunities and a promising future in a loving home. When a legal adoption is handled thoroughly, completely and competently, no one loses and everyone gains. I have done hundreds of them and enjoyed the smiles all around.

The Kansas Adoption Process

In all of the United States, a child may be adopted. All states permit the adoption of foreign-born children. Foreign adoptions do involve federal immigration laws and the issuance of visas. Extra care must be taken about health issues in adoptions outside of the United States.

With the added benefit of being located in Kansas with its’ comprehensive and compassionate adoption laws, I am able to help with domestic and foreign adoptions. I create a solid legal Kansas adoption by guiding your case through all the appropriate legal paths at whatever level is needed.

The legal steps to an adoption begin with finding the right lawyer and filing a petition. All adoptions are based upon the consent of persons or sometimes agencies officially authorized with the care of the child. Whether it is a relative adoption, independent or agency adoption, the legal proceeding must be to benefit the child.

Related to confidentiality issues is open adoption. Kansas allows open adoption where the birth parents maintain some level of contact with the child after the adoption.

Adoption proceedings in Kansas are confidential. The proceedings are closed to the public and often held in the judge's private chambers. All documents about the adoption, including the original birth certificate, are sealed in a file. These documents can be shown only with court approval. Following an adoption, a new birth certificate is issued with the names of the adoptive parents on it. And the new family starts a new life together.

Richard A. Macias
901 North Broadway
Wichita, KS 67214
Phone (316) 265-5245
Fax: (316) 265-3953
Email maciaslaw@ack.kscoxmail.com

Office hours: M-F 8:30 am –5:00 pm
Your Baby, Your Choices!