Adoption is a beautiful and life-changing legal process that builds families. From our Folsom law office, we guide individuals and families across Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado Counties in providing a permanent, loving home for a child.
Compassionate Legal Guidance for Every Path to Adoption
Each path to adoption comes with its own set of legal steps, paperwork, and emotional considerations. We are here to help you navigate the process for:
Stepparent Adoptions: Legally formalizing your role as a child’s parent.
Relative Adoptions (Kinship): Stepping in to provide permanent care for a child in your family.
Private & Agency Adoptions: Guiding hopeful parents through the complex legal requirements.
The adoption process is deeply rewarding—but it can also be complex and time-sensitive. Having an experienced adoption attorney by your side ensures that every California legal requirement is met, potential complications are addressed early, and the journey toward growing your family is as smooth and secure as possible.
Our office is here to guide, support, and celebrate with you every step of the way.
California recognizes several types of adoption, each with distinct procedures and requirements. These include agency adoptions, independent adoptions, stepparent adoptions, and adult adoptions.
Agency Adoptions
In this type of adoption, the birth parents relinquish their child to a licensed adoption agency, which then selects the adoptive parents and places the child with them. The relinquishment terminates the birth parents’ rights and responsibilities. Directed agency adoptions allow birth parents to name specific adoptive parents, but they retain certain rights if the placement is disrupted before completion
Independent Adoptions
Here, the birth parents directly place the child with the adoptive parents without involving an agency. The birth parents must execute an independent adoption placement agreement, which becomes irrevocable after 30 days if not revoked.
Stepparent Adoptions
A stepparent may adopt their spouse’s or partner’s child. This process often involves the consent or termination of the other biological parent’s rights.
Adult Adoptions
Adults may adopt other adults, often to formalize a parent-child relationship for inheritance or other legal purposes.
Our office assists clients throughout the entirety of the process:
Adoption is a meaningful journey that changes lives—both for the child and the family opening their home. While the legal process can feel overwhelming at times, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Our office is here to walk with you every step of the way, ensuring every detail is handled with care, precision, and compassion. The team at Sharf Law, P.C. brings both legal skills and a deep understanding of the emotional importance of this moment. providing steady guidance from your first consultation to finalization of adoption. Whether you’re just beginning the process or need help resolving an issue mid-way, we’re here to help make your dream of growing your family a reality.
