Monica Farris Linkner, P.C.

FAMILY BUILDING THROUGH ADOPTION:                                                                            

HOPING TO ADOPT? 

        Adoption is a wonderful option for expanding your family.  Some people always knew they wanted to adopt; many people choose adoption after struggling with infertility.   Often a grandparent or relative steps forward to raise a child when the parents cannot.  But even if adoption is a second choice, it’s certainly not “second best.”  Families built through adoption are as loving, strong, and secure as “ordinary” families, if not more so. 

        It can be daunting to begin your adoption journey, especially nowadays:  we’ve gone from limited adoption resources to a vast amount – maybe too much – in bookstores and online.  And, with the laws governing the process being so complex, it’s crucial to do it right.  That’s why working with an expert is essential.

        We offer the expertise that only comes from handling hundreds of adoptions, and years of ongoing education and training.  You can be confident that whether you are planning on a direct placement adoption, stepparent adoption, relative adoption, guardian adoption, or adult adoption, in Michigan or interstate, Monica Farris Linkner P.C. knows what needs to be done at each stage of the process. 

 A direct placement adoption is one where an attorney such as Ms. Linkner, instead of an agency, handles the adoption and makes sure all applicable laws are complied with.  The prospective adoptive parent or parents finds a willing biological parent or guardian who plans to place a child for adoption.  The adoptive parent(s) are carefully screened with a homestudy, performed by a social worker.  After the child is born, the biological parent or guardian transfers physical custody directly to the prospective adoptive parent(s), and consents only to those adoptive parents adopting the child, not to an agency or the state. 

In a direct placement adoption, we

Ø  help our clients connect with an expectant parent or guardian;

Ø  explain your rights and the adoption laws in our state and develop a legally secure plan tailored to your needs;

Ø  refer the expectant parent or guardian to an experienced adoption attorney to make sure they have their own representative through the process;

Ø  determine what living expenses can be paid for the expectant mother, and make sure payments are made only for reasonable, necessary and pregnancy-related costs;

Ø  assess any risks involved, and make sure the birth parents’ rights are legally terminated before the adoption is finalized;

Ø Clarify your options for openness -- contact with birth parents -- before and after placement and help you decide what arrangement, if any, will work best for you and the child.

We can handle adoptions between Michigan and any other state.  In fact, about half of our adoptions are interstate and we handle the complexities of the Interstate Compact on a regular basis.  As a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, Ms. Linkner has colleagues in every state with the expertise to represent the birth parents in your interstate adoption.

We try to keep our fees reasonable and our work cost-effective.  Please contact us to schedule a consultation where we can discuss your situation in detail and explain our fee structure.

Did you know? Monica Farris Linkner was instrumental in advancing the adoption laws in the State of Michigan, and handled the first private placement adoption in Michigan.

Monica Farris Linkner, PC