— Relative Adoptions: — Step-parent Adoptions: Our office has handled both types of situations, and stands ready to help — Domestication of International Adoptions: Domesticating the adoption is a simple process which results in the child having a birth certificate in English from the United States. Recent changes in the law also allow parents to change the child’s birth date when appropriate and when the evidence supports such a change. Juli has handled domestication cases from several different countries. — Domestic Interstate Adoptions: Juli has successfully completed interstate adoptions and has a good working relationship with the Georgia ICPC office. — Private Adoptions: Many couples have adopted in this way, and Juli has provided legal assistance in many private adoptions, including handling the rights of the birth father, both when he is known and when he is unknown.We provide legal assistance to clients in the following areas:
Georgia law refers to relative adoptions as Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Great Aunts/Uncles and siblings. We have a lot of experience in relative adoptions, and many of our clients are Grandparents adopting their grandchildren. Wisotsky Law also is experienced in adult adoptions.
Step-parent adoptions typically involve either obtaining a surrender of rights from the non-custodial birth parent or terminating their rights.
you with your step-parent adoption.
Children adopted in foreign countries normally have their adoptions finalized in that country and leave the country with a new birth certificate.
These are adoptions where the child is either entering or leaving the State of Georgia for purposes of adoption. You need an attorney who is well versed in the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children in each state to help you complete your adoption.
In these situations, the adoptive parents are contacted privately by a birth mother who wishes to place her child with them.
— Agency Adoptions: The final order of adoption is handled by the adoptive parents’ private attorney, and the cost of this is usually not included in the agency fees. — State Custody (DFCS) Adoptions: The state agency that has legal custody of the children will normally pay all fees associated with the adoption. Juli has handled both Georgia DFCS adoptions and interstate DFCS adoptions.
Many people seeking adoption choose to use a private agency to complete an in-state or interstate adoption. This agency will normally handle the home study.
There are many children who are eligible for adoption languishing in the foster care system. You can obtain more information about some of these children at
As a service to our clients, we keep flexible hours and can meet with you on the weekends and evenings, in the comfort of your home. Since adoption costs can be somewhat daunting, we also set our fees based on a sliding scale – determined by other fees the clients may have paid and the clients’ ability to pay.
Our goal is to provide you with compassionate legal services.
Juli has a heart for adoptions and desires to see each child who needs a home placed in a loving “forever family.” To this end, Juli is available to meet with prospective adoptive parents or a group from your church or other organization free of charge to discuss options for adoption.