Adoption Inquiry? Contact Dawn or email [email protected].

Dawn’s Blog

News, Updates and Resources for Legal Professionals and those who follow adoption law

Update your termination of parental rights pleadings with the new notice to incarcerated respondent birth parents effective July 1, 2024.

Effective for Petitions filed on or after July 1, 2024, the new notice is: T.C.A. § 36-1-113 (f) (1) A parent or guardian who is incarcerated at the time the parent is served with a petition to terminate parental rights shall receive notice that: (A) A...

A Foster Child’s Relationship to Foster Parents Acquires More Legal Significance As Time Passes

At 6 months, the foster child’s relationship with foster parents becomes a “significant relationship,” so it has weight when compared with other nonparental, pre-removal relationships. At 9 months, the foster parents don’t just get notice of hearings regarding the...

Adoption Assistance for Drug-Exposed Infants

Adoption assistance is a program to assist adoptive families of special needs children. The program is state-administered with the majority of funding from the federal government and a state contribution as well. The benefits are usually a monthly stipend and health...

“First in Adoption” – So far every vote is “Yes.”

The “First in Adoption” bill that many Tennessee attorneys and adoptive parents are following moved from the House committee process to the floor with a unanimous vote of the House Civil Justice committee. The committee is chaired my Mike Carter (R), an attorney and...

The “First in Adoption” Bill is on the move!

How to follow it through the Legislature. The “First in Adoption” Bill (HB 1856 Carter/SB 1851 Haile) passed the House Civil Justice Subcommittee last week and is scheduled for a hearing before the full house committee tomorrow, Tues. March 27, 2018 at 3:00 CST. If...

“First In Adoption” Bill Big Tennessee News!

The “First In Adoption” bill is moving in the TN Legislature. HB 1856 Rep. Mike Carter/ SB 1851 Sen. Ferrell Haile What it does: Creates one short and simple surrender form and relieves a number of related bureaucratic requirements; Refines elements to prove rounds...

Welcome to my blog!

Future posts will include information on new and pending legislation, news, pointers and general information regarding adoption and foster care issues for attorneys, agencies, adoptive families and prospective adoptive families.  Thank you for visiting.

Are You Ready to Grow Your Family Through Adoption?

Consulting Services For Attorneys and Agencies