Laywer fees for termination of parental rights & adoption?

Question

We just received a large sum in child support payment & want to get my daughter's BF's rights terminated (which he signed a letter agreeing to). Has had no contact in 4.5 yrs. We were told around $1500 for the termination and step-parent adoption. Does anyone know by chance if in these cases it's typically all up front or in payments? We have hired a lawyer for a past debt issue and they took their fee in payments. We're in TX.

Answer 1

That sounds about right. We did a termination of my son's birth father's rights who had been MIA for about 5 years at the time of the adoption so my husband could do a step parent adoption. I believe we paid $1,000 down and then another $800-1,000. That also included the court filing fees as well as running an ad in the paper in the town I last knew the birth father lived in since I didn't know where he was after that.

The cost also included the name change and new birth certificate issued to my son with my husband's last name on it. We had to go to Social Security Admin and get a new SS card for him.

I would be a little concerned about the letter the birthfather signed. Was it noterized? I don't know if that will count or not in court. We were able to terminate my ex's rights b/c he had never made any attempt to contact us at all and he had never paid anything in child support or anything ( I didn't want his money. Better to let sleeping dogs lie). We just had to run an ad in the paper of the town he last lived in and when he didn't respond in a certain time frame it was considered abandonment.

We did the adoption stuff in TN..

Answer 2

He signs over his parental rights and you receive no more child support payments from him... Do a search on your county on civil cases , should tell you where he last worked.

It is common for a lawyer to demand to be part most of the bill, keep in mind there might be more you have to pay.. ask

Answer 3

Attorney fees are based on the billing hours of attorneys.

If you can't afford to pay an attorney, call the Universities, in the city where you live, and ask if you can speak to someone regarding getting a pro-bono, attorney, which means free, that can take your case.  

You can also call Legal Aid, in your city, and ask if they can recommend someone to help you.  Good Luck.

Answer 4

All depends on the lawyer. Some accept payments and some want it all up front while others want half up front and the rest upon completition or a later date.

Answer 5

It might be easier to get him to sign another paper in court.  Our son's adoption (from "strangers" on a newborn, healthy child) was only $500.00 attorney fees, $300.00 home study, and about $225.00 for paperwork and filing fees.  Shop around, you might get it for less, and in the case that the mother is low income, legal aid might help draw up the papers.  Good luck!