Pittsburgh Family Law Attorneys Experienced in Pennsylvania Adoption Process

Pennsylvania Adoption Law Firm Protects Rights of Adoption Parties

An adoption establishes a legal parent-child relationship between a child (the adoptee) and the adoptive parents, one that is identical to the legal biological parent-child relationship. Pennsylvania’s adoption laws attempt to balance the interests of the child, the biological parents, and the adoptive parents. The biological parents’ rights are primary until they voluntarily surrender their rights to the child, or fail to act to protect their parental rights under Pennsylvania law.

Types of Adoptions in Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania law recognizes four types of adoptions:
• Entity adoptions through an agency or intermediary
• Step-parent adoptions
• Kinship adoptions
• Adult adoptions

A court presiding over a Pennsylvania adoption must have proof that facts exist to terminate the parental rights of the biological parents. A biological parent may voluntarily consent to the adoption and surrender his rights to the child, or a court must hear evidence that the parent has abused, abandoned, or neglected the child or otherwise failed to protect their parental rights. There is one exception to this rule: in an adult adoption, the consent of the biological and legal parents is not required, but the petitioner must provide notice to them.

Consent for Adoption

When a child under the age of six months is placed for adoption, the biological mother may not sign her consent for adoption until 48 hours after the child’s birth or on her date of discharge from the hospital, whichever is sooner. A birth father may sign a consent for adoption at any time after the child’s birth. When a child is over six months old, the biological parents may sign the consent at any time and the consent is subject to a revocation period of three business days.

A successful adoption is a joyful experience for everyone involved. Our compassionate adoption lawyers have the experience to guide you through Pennsylvania’s adoption process. Those in Western Pennsylvania may contact DeRiso Law Group online or call (412) 452-9712 to schedule a case evaluation to talk about their options today.