Boise Adoption Lawyer

Growing And Creating Families Through The Gift Of Adoption

For over 45 years, Johnson May (formerly May Browning and May) has supported thousands of birth mothers and prospective adoptive parents in finding solutions to their adoption needs. We recognize the emotional nature of adoptions and provide several resources to assist you through the legal process. Our goal is to make you feel supported through the complexities of adoption law. Our attorneys provide comprehensive, personalized, and reasonable legal services to adoptive and birth parents in a professional and supportive environment.

We represent all types of adoptions, including :

• Infant adoptions
• Adoptions of children with special needs/disabilities
• Foster care adoptions
• Grandparent adoptions
• Private adoptions
• Interstate adoptions
• Adult adoptions
• Step-parent adoptions
• Relative adoptions
• Same-sex couple adoptions
• Single-parent adoptions

How Do I Find Your Office?

Why Adoptive Parents Need an Attorney

Private placements continue to make up a significant portion of adoptions. With a private placement, adoptive parents:

1. Search for a birth mother. This is a complex task because of laws regarding advertising. Given Idaho’s sparse population, you might need to look outside the state. The difficulties finding a possible match is one reason people work through agencies.
2. Work out an agreement to adopt. Not all birth mothers automatically agree to give up their child. Instead, we open lines of communication with birth mothers and get them comfortable. Often, they need to “see” you as possible adoptive parents.
3. Negotiate the terms of the adoption. This is a key part of an “open” adoption, which has continued to grow in popularity. Adoptive parents might agree that a birth mother can maintain contact with the child going forward. Some birth mothers might demand this as a prerequisite to adoption. We can help you think through your options and draft an agreement.
4. Prepare adoptive parents for the home study. The home study is critical. We can walk you through what to expect, including the background check requirement. You will also need to provide references as part of the home study. We can help you identify proper references.
5. Shepherd your case through the courts. Parents have not adopted a child until the courts say you have. We can handle all your paperwork, file them with the court, and attend hearings with you.
6. Advise you about post-placement study. Many adoptions in Idaho require a six-month supervision and support period before an adoption can become finalized. Some foster families can reduce this time period. You can expect monthly home visits during this time. Our lawyer can address any possible issues which might arise during your post-placement study.

Even those going with an agency might have questions and benefit from legal help. The lawyers involved generally represent the best interests of the agency, not you as adoptive parents. You might have questions or concerns which require sensitive legal analysis. Why not reach out to Johnson May with questions to see if we can help?

Paying a Birth Mother’s Expenses

Idaho law prohibits paying for a child. However, the law allows potential adoptive parents to pay the birth mother for certain expenses during the pregnancy, such as medical and legal expenses. You might even pay some of her living expenses. This is a complex area of law, and Idaho sets limits on the maximum amount you can pay. You might need court approval to go over.

This is a critical reason to hire an adoption lawyer in Boise. We can ensure you don’t violate the law. Where appropriate, we will seek permission from a judge before making payment. Many birth mothers will expect some sort of compensation, so your willingness to pay some expenses could make or break the adoption.

When to Hire an Adoption Lawyer

The sooner you reach out, the better. Some people attempt to handle an adoption on their own, only to become overwhelmed by the complexity. They don’t know which documents to file or how to handle an out-of-state adoption, which has its own unique process.

Call Johnson May at any time. One excellent benefit of an adoption lawyer is we can help you think through your options. Many parents are not aware of the differences between open and closed adoption, or maybe they haven’t given foster care adoption enough consideration. We’ll help you identify what you want upfront, so you can start the adoption process with confidence.

Stepparent Adoptions

Stepparents have many advantages when it comes to adoption. Unlike other adoptive parents, you have already found the child you want to adopt. You do not have to wait for a birth mother to come along and choose you as the adoptive parents.

However, it’s a mistake to believe the step-parent adoption process is automatic. There are still complications which arise. For example, the other biological parent might not be willing to give up his or her parental rights. Termination of rights is not automatic simply because you are married to the child’s mother or father. We can discuss whether this is a problem to expect and how to handle it. When a parent has abandoned a child, you might also need to find documentation to support that fact and present it to a judge.

Reach out to Johnson May. We have helped many stepparents adopt children and are eager to walk you through the process.

Experienced Idaho Adoption Attorney

Johnson May attorney Bart Browning has helped thousands of families grow their families through adoption. Bart’s personal experience as an adoptive father allows him to navigate the adoption process with his clients empathetically. Bart Browning is one of a handful of Idaho attorneys that are a fellow of the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), a national organization of highly vetted adoption attorneys. 

Our experienced adoption attorneys help you understand Idaho adoption law, file the proper paperwork, and appear with you during adoption court proceedings. We know that each situation is unique and adjust our legal services to meet your specific needs. Contact us today at 208-886-1693 to schedule a consultation!