Adopting a child can be an exciting, life-altering event that ends stale, formal ties and creates strong, meaningful connections. However, if another adult wishes to adopt your child without your blessing, the legal complexities of the process can be less than enjoyable. Here, a child custody lawyer at Don Roberts Law Offices in Hilliard, OH, discusses the fundamental rights and responsibilities of birth parents and adopting parents, including those that took effect in March 2015.

Before contesting the adoption of your child, review the following concepts:

• Putative Fathers: At any time during the mother’s pregnancy and up until 15 days after the child’s birth, a birth father can register with the Ohio Putative Father Registry, kept by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. A putative father is the man believed to be the child’s father. Registration preserves the birth father’s right to give consent to an adoption of his child.
• Pre-Birth Notice: Individuals planning to adopt a child can send the birth father a pre-birth notice to notify him of the possible adoption.
• Contest Procedure: To contest an adoption, a birth father must file a formal written objection with the court. He also must present an alternative plan for parenting his child. In this case, it’s best to seek guidance from a child custody lawyer or a family law attorney.
• Adoption Contest Limitations: After an adoption has been finalized, birth parents have six months from the finalization date to contest the adoption. Grandparents cannot contest adoptions.

At Don Roberts Law Offices, child custody lawyers and family court attorneys provide parents with sound advice and strong advocacy in adoption cases. Central Ohio residents, including those in Hilliard, Columbus, Dublin, and Franklin County, turn to these attorneys for attentive, effective, and compassionate service.

Whether you want to adopt a child or contest an adoption, contact Don Roberts Law Offices, in Hilliard, OH. Visit their website to learn more about parental rights law, and call (614) 777-4500 today to schedule an appointment with a child custody lawyer.