Adopting a child can be a daunting process. Retaining an attorney is a necessary to navigate the intricate laws that surround the adoption process. Here at King Law we have a great deal of experience in family law. Adoptions are a subset of family law and our lawyers are skilled at handling these cases. The adoption statutes can be difficult to interpret but our lawyers know how to use the facts of your case to navigate the winding pathways of the family law world.
The adoption statute states that any South Carolina resident may petition the court to adopt a child. There are more intricacies when South Carolina residents adopt a child within South Carolina, however this is this most straightforward way to do so. Any nonresident of South Carolina may petition the court to adopt a child but there are only certain circumstances that allow for that. The first is if the child is a special needs child, which South Carolina defines children with special needs as those who are members of a sibling group, children of mixed racial heritage, children aged six or older, and children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
Other ways a non-resident can adopt a child in South Carolina is when a child is to be placed for adoption with a relative related biologically or by marriage. This is allowed in order to preserve the family as best as possible. Another way is if at least one of the adoptive parents is in the military service stationed in South Carolina. Due to the large number of military members stationed in places such as Fort Jackson and Parris Island the statute allows for this provision as well. Other special circumstances that allow non-residents to adopt within the state include children in foster care and under the care of other protective agencies. If you are looking to adopt give King Law a call at (888)748-5464 and set up a consultation at one of our South Carolina locations so that we can help you through the process.