At one end of the emotional spectrum are guardianships and adoptions.
Guardianships can be granted for a variety of ages. Adult guardianships are more common than expected. These occur when an adult is temporarily or permanently incapacitated or deemed incapable of making decisions for him or herself. More often, however, guardianships occur when biological parents need someone else to be responsible for their minor children for a short period of time. These can, but do not always, lead to the process of adoption.
Adoption is the building of a new family, the joining of parents with a child. It is at its best a time of joy. But it is not simple. Often part of the adoption process is the severing of legal ties between the child and the parents who are giving the child up for adoption. Often emotions run high, and during highly emotional times, it is easy to make mistakes. An adoption changes legal rights and responsibilities for the future. Every “I” must be dotted and every “t” must be crossed. Again, the person responsible for guiding all of the parties through the intricacies of the creation of a new family is the family law lawyer.
