Grand Rapids Adoption & Guardianship Lawyers

Adoption and guardianship can be complex legal processes. The Family Law attorneys at Rodenhouse Law Group can help you navigate adoption or guardianship in a sensitive way that protects the child or children you care about. Whether you are looking to adopt a stepchild, a grandchild or other child in your life, our family law attorneys can assist you with any legal adoption or guardianship matter you need.

Step-Parent Adoption

Sometimes when a parent remarries, a stepparent creates a meaningful bond with their partner’s child and desires to become the legal parent of that child. There is a specific process for stepparent adoption, and that process varies by county. For example, in Kent County, a couple must be married for one year before step parent adoption can begin. The process requires the termination of the biological parent’s rights, or the consent or release of that parent’s rights.

Adoption can be a complex and sensitive legal issue and should be handled by a skilled attorney who is knowledgeable in the areas of adoption law and stepparent adoption. Rodenhouse Law Group has experience with adoption cases in Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm, and Allegan County.

Types of Guardianship

If you’re seeking to obtain or keep guardianship of a child in Grand Rapids or West Michigan, or if you are a parent seeking to terminate a guardianship, the Family Law lawyers at Rodenhouse Law Group can help you evaluate your case and understand the legal issues surrounding guardianship. Our guardianship attorneys are extremely knowledgeable about the law, as well as working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), to understand what’s involved in your guardianship case. Generally, obtaining guardianship of a minor can be a lengthy process that involves filing a guardianship petition, doing a home study, and working with DHHS and the Court to determine what specific provisions should be in the guardianship order. Terminating a guardianship can also be challenging. Guardianship also requires an annual check-in that ensures the child’s situation remains positive. You may need an attorney on your side to inform you about what is legally possible and what the process of guardianship looks like for you and your family.

Grandparent’s Rights

Grandparents are often close with their grandchildren, and may face a situation where they either want to become a guardian or adoptive parent of a child, or simply want regular and consistent contact with their child. The process of obtaining grandparenting time requires very specific components to be filed. Further, if you file a request for grandparenting time with the court and that request is denied, you have to wait two years prior to filing again. Depending on the situation, you may have to start a new case, or file a motion in the parents’ established custody, paternity, or child support case. This process can be confusing, but the family law attorneys at Rodenhouse Law Group are experienced with this process.

Grand Rapids Adoption & Guardianship Lawyers

Adoption and guardianship can be complex legal processes. The Family Law attorneys at Rodenhouse Law Group can help you navigate adoption or guardianship in a sensitive way that protects the child or children you care about. Whether you are looking to adopt a stepchild, a grandchild or other child in your life, our family law attorneys can assist you with any legal adoption or guardianship matter you need.

Step-Parent Adoption

Sometimes when a parent remarries, a stepparent creates a meaningful bond with their partner’s child and desires to become the legal parent of that child. There is a specific process for stepparent adoption, and that process varies by county. For example, in Kent County, a couple must be married for one year before step parent adoption can begin. The process requires the termination of the biological parent’s rights, or the consent or release of that parent’s rights.

Adoption can be a complex and sensitive legal issue and should be handled by a skilled attorney who is knowledgeable in the areas of adoption law and stepparent adoption. Rodenhouse Law Group has experience with adoption cases in Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm, and Allegan County.

Types of Guardianship

If you’re seeking to obtain or keep guardianship of a child in Grand Rapids or West Michigan, or if you are a parent seeking to terminate a guardianship, the Family Law lawyers at Rodenhouse Law Group can help you evaluate your case and understand the legal issues surrounding guardianship. Our guardianship attorneys are extremely knowledgeable about the law, as well as working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), to understand what’s involved in your guardianship case. Generally, obtaining guardianship of a minor can be a lengthy process that involves filing a guardianship petition, doing a home study, and working with DHHS and the Court to determine what specific provisions should be in the guardianship order. Terminating a guardianship can also be challenging. Guardianship also requires an annual check-in that ensures the child’s situation remains positive. You may need an attorney on your side to inform you about what is legally possible and what the process of guardianship looks like for you and your family.

Grandparent’s Rights

Grandparents are often close with their grandchildren, and may face a situation where they either want to become a guardian or adoptive parent of a child, or simply want regular and consistent contact with their child. The process of obtaining grandparenting time requires very specific components to be filed. Further, if you file a request for grandparenting time with the court and that request is denied, you have to wait two years prior to filing again. Depending on the situation, you may have to start a new case, or file a motion in the parents’ established custody, paternity, or child support case. This process can be confusing, but the family law attorneys at Rodenhouse Law Group are experienced with this process.