Straight Talk Legal Advice. Learn Your Options.
Serving Knoxville Since 1994
Flexible Appointments Upon Request
Discounts For Military Members
Straight Talk Legal Advice. Learn Your Options.
Serving Knoxville Since 1994
Flexible Appointments Upon Request
Discounts For Military Members
  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. adoption
  4.  » Adopting in Tennessee: Adoption regulations

Adopting in Tennessee: Adoption regulations

On Behalf of | Jul 13, 2018 | adoption | 0 comments

If adopting in Tennessee is your goal, then you should know the requirements and how they affect your situation. Tennessee requires that adoptive and foster parents are at least 21 years of age. If you meet that requirement, then you can start your application.

Once you decide you’re ready to adopt, keep in mind that parents may not give up their children for adoption for at least three days following their births. It is not possible to obtain any child immediately following birth, even if a parent wishes to have that happen.

Can you lose an adoptive child if the parent changes his or her mind?

Parents may then revoke consent at any time within 10 days of giving consent for an adoption to go through. Parents can then only revoke consent within the next 30 days if they can show that they gave consent when under duress or because of fraud.

If you’ll be adopting directly from the hospital following the child’s birth, then you may know the parent throughout her pregnancy. You are not allowed to pay the parent for the adoption of the child directly, but you may pay medical, counseling, hospital, living and legal expenses for a period of time as allowed by law in Tennessee. Adoptive parents may not pay for living expenses for the birth mother longer than 90 days before birth and 45 days following the surrender for adoption.

Adoption finalization takes an average of six months in Tennessee. Once that occurs, you obtain the parental rights and responsibilities of a birth parent.