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Shyama S. Parikh, P.C. | Attorney At Law
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Protecting You And Your Family As You Journey Through Resolving Your Legal Concerns

Adoption Attorneys That Guide You Through All Steps Of The Process

Expanding your family through Adoption is an exciting decision, but it can be daunting. There are many complex steps in order to get it done right and we have the knowledge and experience to guide you every step of the way.  Whether you are a step-parent who has been filling the role of a parent, a grandparent who has stepped into a parental role, or an adult seeking to formalize a bond with someone who opened their heart and home to you, we can help you legalize your familial relationship. We pride ourselves on being personable and passionate advocates who demystify the statutes and paperwork. By handling the rigorous legal details, we allow you to focus on what matters most: welcoming a new member into your home.

We are Shyama S. Parikh, P.C., a firm based in Waukegan and with more than 50 years of combined experience.  We have helped thousands of families in a variety of legal matters and we would love to assist you too.

Comprehensive Adoption Services For Illinois Families

We understand that every family is unique, and the path to legalizing a bond can take many forms. Whether you are formalizing a relationship with a stepchild, grandchild or even an unrelated person, we provide the passionate representation you deserve. We handle a wide variety of adoption matters, including:

  • Adult adoptions: Formalizing a parent-child relationship between consenting adults.
  • Related Adoptions: Legalizing a relationship that already exists into a legal parent-child relationship.
  • Grandparent adoptions: Assisting grandparents to modify their legal relationship to one of a parent-child.
  • Sibling adoption: Ensuring that a legal parent-child relationship is established between brothers/sisters.
  • Same-sex adoption: Providing dedicated support for LGBTQ+ parents building their families.
  • Stepparent adoption: Helping stepparents adopt their spouse’s child to become their legal parent.
  • Missing parent adoption: Utilizing publication and diligent searches when a biological parent cannot be located to legalize an adoption.
  • Co-parent adoption: Securing parental rights for nonbiological parents in various family structures.

Our goal is to educate you on your rights and assist you in the Adoption process so you can focus on your family.  We will share our knowledge of the law, advise you based on our past experiences and advocate on your behalf.  There will be various people involved in the process whose roles we will explain to you.  In addition, there will be numerous forms that need to be completed, which we will tackle for you.  Finally, there will be court appearances that we will attend on your behalf, or with you, when it is time to finalize.

We offer a free 30-minute consultation to help you understand which path is right for your specific situation.

What To Know About the Adoption of a Minor In Illinois

Adoptions can be completed as both uncontested and contested matters. Additionally, Illinois adoptions can also take place via publication if a parent cannot be located. Most often, the case begins by filing a Petition for Adoption and personal service upon the other biological parent. If the adoption is related, usually no home study needs to be conducted.

If the matter is agreed, the biological parent must appear in court and execute documents to terminate their parental rights. Also, a putative father search and military search may need to be conducted in various circumstances. If the child is 14 or older, they must consent to the adoption by signing the documents in front of the Adoption Judge. A Guardian ad Litem will be appointed by the Court to conduct an investigation and report to the court about the best interests of the minor child. The court will also need to confirm there was compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), if applicable.

If the adoption is contested, the court will appoint a guardian ad litem to conduct a more in-depth investigation and provide a written report with recommendations. If an agreement is not reached based on the recommendations in the report, the court will eventually conduct a trial and may terminate the parental rights of an unfit parent and eventually enter a judgment for adoption. This can be a very lengthy and expensive process, especially if you do not have the proper representation or support.

We have successfully terminated the rights of parents as well as prevented the termination of parental rights to secure the rights of a biological parent. No matter your specific situation, we can help you.  We have been lucky to assist hundreds of families over the years and have received great feedback and referrals from them.  Let us be a part of your adoption journey.

Contact Us For A Free Consultation With An Adoption Lawyer

Adoption is often an option that is overlooked and can seem confusing and expensive. That is why we offer a free, no-obligation consultation with an adoption attorney. To get in touch with us and set up your consultation, please call 847-557-1517 or send us an email.