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 | Jul 13, 2023 | Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents, Legislation
Effective July 1, 2023 Big addition to foster parent’s right to participate in hearings. T.C.A. § 37-2-415 (a)(17) – (Public Chapter 263)For some time, the court has been required to promptly notify foster parents of all court hearings regarding...
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 | May 1, 2019 | Attorneys & Courts
Effective March 22, 2019, post adoption contracts may be legally enforceable. Learn more: In the May Tennessee Bar Journal article by Mike Jennings.At the Win/Win or Warfare seminar in June. Visit www.goodlawtn.com to register.At...
