Local Adoption Law Potential Changes and Challenges: The Georgia Commission on Child Support has proposed legislation to repeal administrative legitimation. Background: Effective July 1, 2008, the Georgia legislature enacted SB 88, which included language that created a new code section O.C.G.A. § 19-7-21.1 dealing with administrative legitimation. This law enabled birth fathers of…
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GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, POOR, HUDDLED MASSES AND WE WILL EXPEDITE THEIR RETURN TO DANGER?
A few weeks ago my husband and I took our children to New York City to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time. As an immigration attorney, I was especially proud to provide for my children the awe-inspiring experience of seeing this beacon of hope in person. I was honored to share the…
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USCIS Interim Memorandum Regarding Requirements for Domestic Adoptions of Children from Hague Adoption Convention Countries
USCIS has issued a new interim memorandum pertaining to the requirements for domestic adoptions of children from Hague Adoption Convention Countries. This memorandum greatly changes the protocol of local adoption courts or attorney to request a determination from the Central Authorities of children’s countries of origin to issue determinations of the children's’ habitual residency. If…
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Open Adoption: Georgia passes Post-Adoption Contact Agreement Legislation
Open Adoption: Georgia passes Post-Adoption Contact Agreement Legislation History: Closed Adoption In modern day America, most adoptions are now open adoptions. Open adoption means that prospective adoptive parents have some level of contact or knowledge of the birth parents and vice-versa. Contrary to popular belief, it does not have to mean visitation. Instead, it may…
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