Step-Parent Adoption Attorneys

Offices in Fairfield and Benicia, California

Adopting a child can be the most exciting and rewarding experience a person can have. And if you are a step-parent, an adoption can confer many important rights to the child and also establish your own right to make decisions on the child's behalf.

The Law Offices of Susan E. Christiansen, a Professional Corporation, has many years of experience representing parents in adoption proceedings. Our lawyers can take care of all the legal specifics of step-parent adoptions for people throughout the United States who have legal issues in Solano County or Contra Costa County, California.

Adoption and the Law

Adoption is the process that establishes a legally recognized parent-child relationship between a non-biological parent and a child. It confers upon the adoptive parent and child all the legal rights and obligations of an official parent-child relationship.

Since they do not require using an agency or other third party, step-parent adoptions are among the most straightforward adoption proceedings. The main requirement is that the non-custodial parent (i.e., the biological father or mother who does not have primary custody) must agree to a termination of his or her parental rights. Once this is done, a stepparent is free to formally adopt a stepdaughter or stepson.

Handling any Problems that Arise

Sometimes, however, a non-custodial parent agrees to termination of parental rights, and a skilled trial attorney is necessary. In many years of experience handling family law and adoption matters, attorneys Susan E. Christiansen and Cristin M. Lowe have gained the good negotiation skills essential to helping our clients achieve their goals without incurring the cost and stress of a long court battle. We understand the stress and anxiety that goes along with the adoption process, and will research every tactical and legal avenue to make sure your adoption goals are realized.

Tell Us Your Problem

If you need a stepparent adoption in Solano County or Contra Costa County, California, contact The Law Offices of Susan E. Christiansen. We accept all major credit cards, including Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Discover.

From law offices in Fairfield, California, our lawyers help people throughout Solano County, Contra Costa County, and the California Bay Area, including Fairfield, Benicia, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Vacaville, Vallejo, Solano, Martinez, Clayton, Lafayette, Pleasanton, Suisun City, and more. We also welcome clients from Travis Air Force Base.