How do I adopt a child? 8 Answers as of September 27, 2011

To adopt a child, you must provide all of the requisite information in the application for adoption; either obtain the consent of both parents or have their rights terminated; submit to a home study; and follow all other requirements of your jurisdiction's adoption laws. The process is simple, but very specific. Failure to abide by any of the requirements can result in the adoption being denied. For this reason, while it is possible to effectuate an adoption without the assistance of an attorney, it is not advisable.

Adopting a child can be a fairly complex process, depending on the circumstances. You are probably not going to be able to get a good "how to" answer off a website. My advice, therefore, would be to hire an attorney who does adoptions as part of his or her regular practice.

You need an attorney unless a social service agency is going to be involved which has many more hoops to jump through.

It is in the best interests of both the adoptive parent and the biological parent to retain an attorney to assist them with the process and to assist them in preparing an adoption agreement.

Absolutely she needs a lawyer. This is a compacted process and the baby, birth mother and adoptive parents all need representation and protection. By the way the biologocal father has rights to the child also.

She needs to contact an accredited adoption agency. Colorado does not allow private adoptions.

Adoptions are very complex. A lawyer is needed. Make sure the lawyer has adoption experience. Most do not know how to handle one. Bear in mind the father also needs to consent or have his rights properly terminated, so the mother's consent alone is not the sole thing needed.