Adoptionin Florida

Domestic Adoption

The laws and procedures of adoption in Florida seek to take care of the needs and interests of the all parties involved, namely, the child, birth parent(s) and adoptive parents. As a result, the adoption process requires the presence and consent of these three parties. In most cases, the adoption proceedings take place in the presence of a witness who has some legal knowledge in family law.


There are various types of adoption in Florida, depending on the relationship between the child and the adoptive parents. A child can be adopted by a step parent, if they have been living with a single parent. A child can also be adopted by a close relative, or an agency. Finally, there is the adult adoption. Different procedures are followed in each of these types of adoption. In all cases, the biological ties with the birth parents are terminated forever by the presiding court once the petition is filed. It is also possible to adopt a child in cases where the biological parents have neglected the child or given up their parental rights through abandonment or abuse. Single fathers who have not registered their paternity with the Putative Father registry may not be consulted during the adoption process. Adult adoption does not require the consent of the biological parents, but the petitioner should give notice to the biological parents. Parents can sign their consent for adoption of children who are as young as 48 hours old.

After signing the consent, the court conducts its own background checks to ensure that there is no fraud involved. After this, it issues a judgment seeking to officially terminate the relationship between the biological parents and the child. It takes a minimum of 30 days for the adoptive parents to finalize the adoption.

Domestic Adoption