by Dawn Coppock | Mar 26, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents, General, Legislation
Question: I understand that the waiting period for adoption, the time the child must live with the prospective adoptive family before the adoption can be finalized, has been reduced from 6 months to 3 months, correct? Answer: Not exactly. The waiting period is still 6...
by Dawn Coppock | Aug 16, 2023 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, News Events
This is not a debated or murky point of Tennessee law. You just can. I do 2 or 3 adult adoptions a year and I have for decades. See Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-1-117(j). (1) When the person sought to be adopted is eighteen (18) years of age or older, only the...
by Dawn Coppock | Jan 9, 2023 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, General, Legislation, News Events
Public outcry is needed for Tennessee to fix the Department of Children’s Services – Opinion – By Dawn Coppock – Published by The Tennessean, The Knoxville News Sentinel & The Commercial Appeal – January 4, 2023. Click the blue link...
by Dawn Coppock | Feb 1, 2021 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, General, Legislation, News Events
In Tennessee, to terminate a parent’s rights the petitioner (Agency or prospective adoptive parents) must prove grounds “against” the parent AND also must prove that termination of parental rights is in the child’s best interest. In most cases, proof of...
by Dawn Coppock | Jul 2, 2018 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts
From the Tennessee Bar Journal’s July 2018 cover story by Dawn Coppock and Michael Jennings, read the article here discussing the new adoption legislation that went into effect yesterday.
by Dawn Coppock | Apr 18, 2018 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts
Today the Tennessee Senate unanimously passed the First in Adoption bill without amendment or even discussion. If the Governor signs the bill as expected, it will become law on July 1, 2018. First in Adoption makes a number of pro-child modifications in many areas of...
