Q: Do I need an attorney? My husband wants to adopt my son and the biological dad is willing to relinquish his rights.
The biological dad lives in California and hasn't had anything to do with my son for 9 years. My husband and I live in Louisiana. We don't know if there's anyway we can represent ourselves, or if we just have to have an attorney.
A: I strongly recommend hiring a lawyer to handle your intrafamily adoption. The requirements for an adoption are specific, and a simple mistake can make the adoption invalid. Intrafamily adoptions are quicker and generally are less costly than a private adoption.
A: Yes I strongly recommend it.
A: If you represent yourselves, you run the risk of botching a life changing event. You should hire an adoption lawyer.
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