Legal Process

Just an update on the legal process:

At this point we are waiting on the birthmother's lawyer to get a court date which will terminate parental rights. Her attorney told us that she hopes to get it within two weeks, but it could be as long as 30 days. Up until this date the birth parents have the right to change their mind about the adoption. But, once the court terminates their rights it is a permanant deal. There can be no appeal. At that moment she will be ours (not legally but there is no danger of her being removed from our home).

Once parental rights are terminated the adoption agencies fills out paperwork on us that has to be filed with the state. This will be where they report on our training and homestudy and all of that. They have 90 days from the time of termination of parental rights to get these reports in.

Once there reports are in our lawyer can get a court date for us. She thought it would take 1-3 weeks to get a court date. This is adoption day! The day the judge will give parental rights to us! Our lawyer said it is a great day and anyone can come to the court with us and bring cameras, video cameras, etc.

So it is very possible that it could be 3-4 months before we are actually considered the legal parents by the state. But only about a month before we know for sure she is ours! So keep praying that the termination of parental rights goes quickly and smoothly.