What is the worse that can happen through the adoption process?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Say that attorneys did it as pro bono work, has anyone ever heard of anything unethical happening in this regard? Are there any stories where something went very wrong? And if so, how could they possibly screw this up?

[ulysses]

1. adoption of a child?

Oh yeah, there are plenty of opportunities for shit to go wrong.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. I just don't understand why, when you know that someone plays the

line on everything else, people wouldn't assume that their community service work is probably tainted to. I see the pattern happening over and over again.

[ulysses]

5. ?

That one went right by me. Are you talking about McCain?

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. No. But it did trigger the thought.

Sometime ago, I came across someone's profile. He was unethical in his business dealings, but commended for his work in adoption services. I just wondered why anyone would think that if he was unethical in his business dealings, why he wouldn't be unethical everywhere else? I just didn't know where the weaknesses would be in the adoption process.

[ulysses]

8. ah, ok.

There are plenty of things that need to be negotiated for an adoption to proceed. State laws can be arcane. South Carolina, where our son was born, requires that potential adoptive parents petition the family court well in advance of finalization for permission to even proceed with the process, because of problems with baby-selling decades ago.

Yeah, I wouldn't touch an adoption lawyer who had ethics problems.

[CoffeeCat]

9. If someone was so unethical...

...that they were known to be shady in their business dealings, I would be suspect of
WHY they were involved--at all--with adoption.

When you're dealing with children, there is A LOT that can go wrong. If this person is
known for being unethical--that means you probably know the tip of the iceberg. The thought
of an unethical person being involved in the adoption of children, is frightening.

From the birth-mom side--there are plenty of opportunities for exploitation. Many unwed, pregnant
teenagers are vulnerable. If this man is making money off of adoptions--I'd wonder what his role
is in these situations. Is he an attorney?

The adoption business is not a place for a shady person. There are too many vulnerable people
involved in these situations, and too much room for someone (who was unethical enough) to
take advantage.

Plus, if you're exploiting young, unwed girls--how would anyone ever know? They're practically
voiceless.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. How do they get away with it?

Easy. Be a big political campaign donor.

[Warpy]

2. Laws vary, but most states give the birth parents time

to contest an adoption, even after everything has been finalized.

That's the main thing that can go wrong, that you lose a child you've adopted to its birth parent(s).

[ulysses]

6. I don't think it extends past finalization.

At least not that I'm aware of. Most states do allow birthparents to change their minds after they waive parental rights, although the time frames are different from state to state.

[Liberal Veteran]

3. I take you never saw The Omen? (just kidding)

I am not qualified, but I'd want someone who knew family law and adoption law pretty well to avoid any potential problems.

[AlienGirl]

11. "Surprise daddies" are a problem, big time.

Make SURE that all parents, including an "unknown father" if paternity hasn't been establisged through DNA tests, have been properly dealt with during disposition. Otherwise, a guy can come out of nowhere, and turn out to be the biological father, and win a custody battle if he is a decent guy.

It also works differently depending on where the child lives (for instance, China does not strenuously attempt to reunify abandoned children with their parents) and on whether the parents--again, ALL parents involved--have either signed voluntary surrenders or have all had their parental rights terminated.

Tucker

[judy]

12. Many things can go wrong in the adoption process...

Child services and Foster agencies can be very corrupt.
The attorneys are supposedly defending the children, but in reality they follow their own agendas at the detriment of the kids. Then, they work to discredit the biological parents, then the foster parents, and the child ends up a messed up teenager for having been bounced around too much.

Why is that? I can't believe that there is money for the agencies and the attorneys, in anything that has to do with public services. However, in my short contact with such entities, I have seen corruption, cruelty, attorneys lying to serve some obscure purpose, and parents and kids hearts broken with total disregard.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. If I were a betting person, and if I had the power, I would look into it further.

Because my experience has been that community service for these people, may first start out as a cover, but eventually, their true corrupt ways come out and they contaminate everything they touch.