Grandparent Child Adoption Rights in Texas
Grandparents in the United States all have rights, and in Texas, they can adopt their grandchildren under certain circumstances. Adoption can be a lengthy process, but it can also be rewarding once the needs of the child are finally met.
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Best Interest
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In determining adoption, the Texas court system is looking for what is in the child's best interest. The courts search for a stable home environment that provides the consistency children need. Most grandparents become adoptive parents in cases where the child's parents have either become deceased or incapacitated.
Biological Parents
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For the adoption to be successful, the biological parents will have to give up their legal rights. The child must also have had lived with the grandparent for at least the previous six months before the adoption hearing. If one or both of the child's parents refuse to terminate their rights, the adoption process cannot move forward unless there are extenuating circumstances, like abandonment, abuse and neglect.
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Children 16 and Older
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If the child is older than 16-years-old, Texas law mandates that written permission must be obtained from the minor child before the adoption can be valid. The document states the child agrees to the terms of the adoption.
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References
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- Photo Credit grandparents with grandson image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
