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Adoption in DFW
Make it official.
Some parents earn the title long before the law recognizes it. Stepparent and adult adoption give the family you already are a legal reality: inheritance, records, and a name that matches the truth. We guide both across Dallas-Fort Worth.
A stepparent adoption requires ending the other biological parent's legal rights first, whether by consent, prior termination, or because that parent is deceased, and the court process typically includes an evaluation and a representative for the child. Adult adoption is far simpler: the adult consents, the court approves, and the parent-child relationship becomes legal for all purposes, including inheritance. Patrick also serves as a court-appointed attorney for children in Texas child-welfare cases, so this is a courtroom he knows well.
Stepparent adoption
The most common adoption we see: a stepparent who has been the real, day-to-day parent for years. Legally it has two parts. First, the other biological parent's rights must be terminated, which can happen by that parent's voluntary relinquishment, by a prior court order, or where that parent is deceased. Second, the adoption itself: the court typically orders an adoption evaluation of the home and appoints a representative for the child, and a child twelve or older consents in writing. When it is granted, the stepparent is the child's parent for every legal purpose, and a new birth certificate can issue.
Adult adoption
Texas allows one adult to adopt another with the adult adoptee's written consent, no home evaluation required. Families use it to formalize a stepparent bond after the child has grown, to secure inheritance rights, or to make legal what has been true for decades. It is one of the simplest and most meaningful proceedings in the Family Code.
Experience that matters here
Patrick regularly serves as a court-appointed attorney for children in Texas child-protection cases, work that is all about what courts require before they entrust a child's future to an adult. That perspective shapes how we prepare adoption cases: complete, honest, and ready for the judge's questions the first time.
What the timeline looks like
- Consultation: we confirm the legal path, including what termination requires in your situation.
- Filings and consents: petition, necessary consents or relinquishments, and requests for the required appointments.
- Evaluation and appearances: the home evaluation where required, then the final hearing, which families usually remember as a celebration.
Is this your family?
Adoption may be closer than you think if:
- A stepparent has raised the child for years and everyone wants it official.
- The other biological parent is willing to consent, is absent, or is deceased.
- An adult wants to formalize the parent who actually raised them.
- Inheritance and family records should reflect the real relationship.
- You want one attorney to manage consents, evaluations, and the hearing.
Common questions
Straight answers.
Does the other biological parent have to agree to a stepparent adoption?
Their legal rights must end before the adoption can be granted. That can happen through voluntary relinquishment, a prior termination order, or where the parent is deceased. If the parent objects, the case becomes contested termination litigation, and we will tell you that honestly at the consultation.
Does the child have a say?
A child twelve or older must consent in writing, and courts appoint a representative for the child in adoption cases. Judges take the child's world seriously, and so do we.
Is a home study required?
Stepparent adoptions typically involve an adoption evaluation of the home, though procedures vary by county and court. Adult adoptions do not require one.
How long does a stepparent adoption take?
It depends mostly on the termination piece and the county's evaluation and setting timelines. Straightforward consent cases commonly finish in a few months.
What does adult adoption actually change?
It creates a full legal parent-child relationship: inheritance rights, family records, and recognition for every legal purpose. The adult adoptee consents in writing, and the court approves.
Will the child get a new birth certificate?
Yes. After the adoption is granted, a new birth certificate can issue reflecting the adoptive parent, and a name change can be included in the same proceeding.
Related services
New family, new paperwork. We handle both.
Take the first step
The hearing at the end of this is a happy one.
A free consultation maps the path, the timeline, and the flat fee.