Birney Bull’s Answers
549 total
Does an adopted child still have inheritance rights from the biological grandmother?
Birney’s Answer
Technically, under the law, if the inheritance vested before the adoption, the adoption did not deprive the child of that inheritance. If the adoption preceded the "inheritance," then the child was no longer the decedent's "child" at the time of the inheritance.
Can you terminate parental rights due to you not ready to take care of a child or to avoid child support?
Birney’s Answer
One might think that, but a child needs to eat. The law doesn't allow a biological father to announce that he won't pay child support because he's "not ready" to be a father. So no, that, by itself, isn't enough.
My son's father died, my fiance wants to adopt him but let him keep his fathers last name?
Birney’s Answer
In Columbus, call Tom Tebeau. (706) 327-115.
I would like to know what chance I have at winning my case if I represented myself? Or how much it would cost for an attorney?
Birney’s Answer
Yeah, you have to legitimize, or else legally, you're not the child's father, and thus cannot object to the adoption. What your "chances" might be after that, with or without a lawyer, is hard to say, because the law gives judges pretty wide discretion in such cases. An adoption agency likely has a lawyer knowledgeable and experienced in adoption, so going it without your own could get tough. We can't quote fees in AVVO, and I don't really handle those kinds of cases anyway, but just ballpark, I'd say you'd get well into 4 figures if you seek to fight it.
Will a contract Surrogate mother be legal?
Birney’s Answer
This question seems to have been somehow specially proffered to me, but I don't do surrogacy, so I cannot answer it.
Will I be able to change my daughter's last name or have her adopted if I get married and would I need permission?
Birney’s Answer
Your closest adoption attorneys would be Tom Tebeau in Columbus and Chris Ambrose down in Thomasville.
Can my Finalized Georgia step parent adoption be Revoked by a South Carolina judge
Birney’s Answer
Hoo, boy, that's a mess. In your adoption action, was any notice given of it to the SC grandma? (Because it should have been.)
How Do i transfer jurisidiction to another state when the noncustodial parent has stated they will sign over rights.
Birney’s Answer
There's no need to transfer jurisdiction for that. He can sign stuff in WA.
My sons father just got life in prison and i can't take care of them so can i let my father adopt them to my father?
Birney’s Answer
He CAN, yes, but that doesn't mean there will be no fight over it.
How can I start the process of my children's father signing over his rights and my husband adopting them?
Birney’s Answer
Chris Ambrose in Thomasville or Tom Tebeau in Columbus are the closest options for you that I know of. It's true that this is not a good candidate for do-it-yourself work. Trying to cut the legal fees in half here could easily cause the need for multiple legal fees later.