Find Legal Topics > Adoption Laws > Maryland Adoption

Maryland Adoption



What You Need to Know About Maryland Adoption

There’s nothing more tender than adopting a child. And in the state of Maryland, it’s especially crucial to know what you’re dealing with….

How does one handle a Maryland adoption? What are the laws of Maryland adoption? Are they any qualifications to know about concerning Maryland adoptions?

Know this: this article will help you investigate everything you need to know about Maryland adoption.

This Is a Common Law of MD Adoption

How does one determine whether or not a child is adoptable?

Firstly, when considering Maryland adoption, know these characteristics:

1. Birth Parents Must Agree to It
2. Termination of Parental Rights
3. Neglect or Abuse
4. Death of Parents

Anyone can adopt a child if any of these characteristics are present. However, other requirements are necessary to approve an adopting parent.

What Are the Qualifications for MD Adoption?

In the state of Maryland, you can expect these factors to play a role in the decision of handing over physical and legal custody of a child to a potential adopting parent:

1. Race
2. Religion
3. Age
4. Sexual Preference
5. Marital Status
6. Disability

Of course, an adopting parent(s) can have specific preferences; but also a birth parent(s) would have a say in the person adopting the child.

Obviously, race is an issue for some when involving MD adoption. Including religion. All of it matters to both parties, and the choice would be made based on that.

Ultimately, though, the adoption agency ends up making the decision that would best fit the needs of the child over what the adopting parent(s) want(s) or what the birth parent(s) want(s).

Once the Contract’s Written Up, Is the MD Adoption Absolutely Official?

It’s a perfectly valid question given the fact that you have a birth parent literally giving over the rights of a child. It’s happened before where a birth parent decides against signing over those rights, changing his or her mind.

By law, no birth parent can change his or her mind once the contract for the MD adoption is set up. By law, the birth parent must hand over the rights of the child.

Maryland Adoptions Can Be Costly

Believe it or not, but the filthy rich aren’t always the ones vying for a spot to adopt a child. The idea of Maryland adoptions pretty much spans the entire gamut of class system, and it just so happens that an adoption can cost anywhere from $0 to $40,000, depending on the type of adoption in Maryland.

The Standard Process for Maryland Adoptions

The obvious step for any prospective adopting parent(s) is to work with an adoption agency. From there, it’s an interview with the adopting parent(s) and a detailed knowledge of the birth parent(s). It’s a rigorous process that can take anywhere from weeks to even years.

In addition, you can hire a family law attorney to handle the entire process. But it’s not by all means required. Generally speaking, Maryland adoptions are a fairly cut-and-dry process. It just takes a great deal of time to finalize the issue and put the entire thing in writing, so you can take the child home and begin the journey of raising him or her as your own.

Related Topics