by Dawn Coppock | Oct 20, 2025 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, General, Seminars
Increased Care with Identity Documents Advised And A Suggested Approach for Unresponsive Government Agencies Identity documents have become increasingly requested and regulated since 9/11. That trend has accelerated as immigration and gender identity have...
by Dawn Coppock | Aug 29, 2025 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, General, Legislation, Seminars
Registration will open by the end of September for Good Law’s flagship seminar, Adoption Law School*, but this time as an on-demand course. You asked for it, and finally, Dawn’s done it. 15 hours of CLE, including 3 hours of ethics credit, will be open for...
by Dawn Coppock | Aug 3, 2025 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents, Legislation, News Events
On May 19, 2025, a class action on behalf of 13 Tennessee foster children was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, alleging significant systemic failures,...
by Dawn Coppock | Nov 18, 2024 | Adoption, Legislation
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...
by Dawn Coppock | May 13, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents
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...
by Dawn Coppock | Apr 4, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents
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...
