Santa Cruz County, CA Adoption Lawyers

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John Thornton

Criminal, DUI-DWI, Domestic Violence & Neglect, White Collar Crime, Firearms

With over 30 years of legal experience, Attorney John W. Thornton has represented individuals accused of everything from DUI to homicide. There is tru... (more)

Michael Cougar

Wills, Wills & Probate, Family Law, Corporate
Status:  In Good Standing           

Timothy J. Morgan

Election & Political, Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  51 Years

Andrew C. Janecki

Domestic Violence & Neglect, DUI-DWI, Criminal, Administrative Law
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  34 Years

John Thornton Kontz

Litigation, Government, Trusts, Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           

James Frederic Cox

Other, Dispute Resolution, Unfair Labor Practices, Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  48 Years

Emily Jeanne Trexel

Family Law, Elder Law, Litigation, Commercial Real Estate
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  17 Years

Pascha Rose Moller Stevens

Lawsuit & Dispute, Family Law, Divorce & Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  28 Years

Tanya Marie Ridino

Family Law, Elder Law, Contract
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  24 Years

Brian Kipling Myers

Family Law, Divorce & Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           

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Easily find California Adoption Lawyers and California Adoption Law Firms for your location. Narrow your Adoption attorney search for California by major city or a specific California city using the city list. Or search for California Adoption attorneys by county. For more attorneys, search all Divorce & Family Law areas including Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce and Family Law attorneys.

LEGAL TERMS

DIVORCE

The legal termination of marriage. All states require a spouse to identify a legal reason for requesting a divorce when that spouse files the divorce papers wit... (more...)
The legal termination of marriage. All states require a spouse to identify a legal reason for requesting a divorce when that spouse files the divorce papers with the court. These reasons are referred to as grounds for a divorce.

CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION

Information exchanged between two people who (1) have a relationship in which private communications are protected by law, and (2) intend that the information b... (more...)
Information exchanged between two people who (1) have a relationship in which private communications are protected by law, and (2) intend that the information be kept in confidence. The law recognizes certain parties whose communications will be considered confidential and protected, including spouses, doctor and patient, attorney and client, and priest and confessor. Communications between these individuals cannot be disclosed in court unless the protected party waives that protection. The intention that the communication be confidential is critical. For example, if an attorney and his client are discussing a matter in the presence of an unnecessary third party -- for example, in an elevator with other people present -- the discussion will not be considered confidential and may be admitted at trial. Also known as privileged communication.

LEGAL RISK PLACEMENT

A type of adoption used by agencies to keep a child out of foster care during the adoption process. The child is placed with the adopting parents before the bir... (more...)
A type of adoption used by agencies to keep a child out of foster care during the adoption process. The child is placed with the adopting parents before the birthmother has legally given up her rights to raise the child. If she then decides not to relinquish her rights, the adopting parents must give the child back. This is a risk for the adopting parents, who may lose a child to whom they've become attached.

CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE

The taking of a child from his or her parent with the intent to interfere with that parent's physical custody of the child. This is a crime in most states, even... (more...)
The taking of a child from his or her parent with the intent to interfere with that parent's physical custody of the child. This is a crime in most states, even if the taker also has custody rights.

CONSUMMATION

The actualization of a marriage. Sexual intercourse is required to 'consummate' a marriage. Failure to do so is grounds for divorce or annulment.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)

A federal law that requires employers to provide an employee with 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a year's time for the birth or adoption of a child, family hea... (more...)
A federal law that requires employers to provide an employee with 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a year's time for the birth or adoption of a child, family health needs or personal illness. The employer must allow the employee to return to the same position or a position similar to that held before taking the leave. There are exceptions to the FMLA: the most notable is that only employers with 50 or more employees are covered--about half the workforce.

TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER (TRO)

An order that tells one person to stop harassing or harming another, issued after the aggrieved party appears before a judge. Once the TRO is issued, the court ... (more...)
An order that tells one person to stop harassing or harming another, issued after the aggrieved party appears before a judge. Once the TRO is issued, the court holds a second hearing where the other side can tell his story and the court can decide whether to make the TRO permanent by issuing an injunction. Although a TRO will often not stop an enraged spouse from acting violently, the police are more willing to intervene if the abused spouse has a TRO.

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD

A person who supports and maintains, in one household, one or more people who are closely related to him by blood, marriage or adoption. Under federal income ta... (more...)
A person who supports and maintains, in one household, one or more people who are closely related to him by blood, marriage or adoption. Under federal income tax law, you are eligible for favorable tax treatment as the head of household only if you are unmarried and you manage a household which is the principal residence (for more than half of the year) of dependent children or other dependent relatives. Under bankruptcy homestead and exemption laws, the terms householder and 'head of household' mean the same thing. Examples include a single woman supporting her disabled sister and her own children or a bachelor supporting his parents. Many states consider a single person supporting only himself to be a head of household as well.

ANNULMENT

A court procedure that dissolves a marriage and treats it as if it never happened. Annulments are rare since the advent of no-fault divorce but may be obtained ... (more...)
A court procedure that dissolves a marriage and treats it as if it never happened. Annulments are rare since the advent of no-fault divorce but may be obtained in most states for one of the following reasons: misrepresentation, concealment (for example, of an addiction or criminal record), misunderstanding and refusal to consummate the marriage.

SAMPLE LEGAL CASES

Adoption of Allison C.

When Allison was conceived, her mother (mother) was dating father while married to his brother. [2] After Allison's birth in March 2001, mother and Allison lived with father on and off for about 110 days during the child's first six months of life. But in the summer of 2001, ...

Adoption of OM

(1) In this case, a biological father's effort to assume his parental responsibilities was frustrated, in part, by the child's mother, who broke off their relationship and decided to relinquish the child for adoption. However, the father's ability to demonstrate his commitment was ...

In re SB

... Castro opined that for SB, the benefits of adoption outweighed the benefits of maintaining the parent-child relationship. SB's primary attachment was to her grandparents. ... Smith opined that any detriment to SB would be outweighed by the benefit she would gain from adoption. ...