Domestic infant adoption has changed a great deal in the past few decades. Many children being adopted are older than infants or have special needs. Openness in adoption is now the norm. As openness has increased, so has “self- matching”, whereby birth parents and prospective adoptive parents choose each other without the traditional intermediary at the beginning of the relationship, such as an adoption agency or attorney. It is important to retain an attorney as soon as possible to create a smooth and legally secure process.

Jay & Campbell coordinates with adoption attorneys and agencies all over the country to facilitate adoptions and ensure compliance with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC). Experienced litigators, the attorneys at Jay & Campbell handle complex cases and are often brought in to assist with appeals or contested adoptions in both private and public (dependency/foster care) proceedings.

If you are the biological father (i.e., a “putative father”) of a child being placed for adoption and you oppose the adoption plan, it is critical that you are proactive in protecting your parental rights. Courts look at whether a father has supported a mother during her pregnancy, filed with the Florida Putative Father Registry, paid child support, and has sought to develop and maintain a relationship with his child.