Can a private attorney be hired to represent my daughter and what practice area do I look for one?

You want to look for what can also be called a "dependency lawyer." Two very good dependency lawyers in the Los Angeles area are: Mark Tseselsky...

It sounds to me unlikely that your parents would consent to terminating their parental rights, which is what would need to happen in order for...

My son has a hyphenated last name. Can I drop one of my sons last names?

Yes, you and your husband can change your son's name together. Just follow the instructions here: http://www.courts.ca.gov/1052.htm. Good luck!

When do you stop paying child support on a child that you have given consent for step father to adopt?

Child support obligations do not stop until the adoption is finalized.

Can my boyfriend adopt my daughter

Yes, your boyfriend can adopt your daughter, but you will still need to terminate the father's parental rights, which you will likely be able to do...

Does any attorney practice Surrogacy Law in Orange County, CA?

I am a surrogacy lawyer based in Los Angeles, but I take cases in Orange County. There are many qualified surrogacy lawyers in Southern...

Requirements for adopting my stepchild?

You would need to do a stepparent adoption, which will cut off the parentage rights of the father and give you rights as a parent. Even if the...

Can my parter adopt my kids via step-parent adoption even though he and I aren't legally married?

Yes - what is stated above is correct. You can do a second parent adoption (basically a stepparent adoption without marriage), but it will cost...

Change the minor's name, father was not on the birth certificate

Hi There - you can change your child's name through the court name change process. There is more information about it here:...

Can I legally adopt my “own child”?

It's not clear from your post what the details of your case are. If you are part of a same-sex couple, there are ways to protect you as a...