Private Agency Placements
Domestic and International Agency Adoptions
Placement of a child from a private licensed adoption agency, domestic or international, is one of the most traditional ways to adopt a child. The agency finds the child, frees the child for adoption, and tells you when to hire an attorney to help you finalize the adoption. Most people assume that international adoption is very difficult. It is usually more expensive and certainly more exotic than a trip to Tri-Cities in Tennessee to pick up a child. And different cultural challenges are presented for the parents and the child. But the legal work to finalize here in Tennessee is similar to the legal work when you receive a child from a local agency.
While the agency fees may be significant in both domestic and international adoption, if the agency does a good job, Dawn’s fees to help you finalize an agency adoption are usually quite modest by comparison.
Some families want to hire Dawn early in the process to have her “on call” for any questions or problems that arise. Whether you are ready to finalize or just beginning the process, call for an appointment when you want to engage Dawn on your behalf.
Dawn is Ready to Help with Your Agency Placement Adoption Case
For over 30 years, Dawn has been an adoption and child-welfare advocate nationally and in Tennessee. She knows where the system is working and the places that it is not. She offers her frank assessment to policymakers (Public Outcry), and sometimes they listen. She has drafted and passed many child-welfare bills in the Tennessee Legislature, founded, encouraged and supported advocacy organizations, educated lawyers and judges on good practice, and pointed out places that we can do better for our children, openly and behind the scenes at every opportunity. To see what Dawn has been up to recently visit her Legislative Blog.
Dawn represents families in most types of adoption and termination of parental rights cases. She also frequently consults with foster parents. Her time is increasingly dominated by writing, training, consulting, and meditating, so she can’t take every case with merit. She continues to take almost all uncontested adoptions, like agency and DCS cases and relative adoptions with consent or where the other party is unlikely to contest. Even when she can’t take a case, a consultation permits Dawn to share her experience about whether it is the right time to file a case, and if so, exactly what and where to file, and to create a litigation plan. She even suggests possible lawyers to complete the case.
If a termination of parental rights case is already underway, Dawn can also consult with one party or mediate for all parties but of course, not both.
If you want to talk with Dawn about your case: please contact Angela Newsome, paralegal, for information on Dawn’s availability and to schedule an appointment.
