Domestic adoption within the United States is governed by state law, which is quite specific to each individual state. Timelines, definitions, procedures, and substantive rights of all parties vary significantly on a state-by-state basis. To make matters more complex, when a child will be crossing state lines for purposes of an adoption plan, a regulatory scheme known as the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) applies and creates an additional layer of requirements to which practitioners and families must adhere. This can combine to make an interstate adoption within the United States rival some international adoptions for cost and complexity (although rarely approaching the timelines/delays seen in international cases).
To successfully navigate the ICPC and ensure the child can return home to finalize the adoption in an efficient manner, while avoiding any difficulties with the laws of either state involved, the guidance and counsel of an attorney experienced in the nuances of interstate adoption issues is necessary. Here at Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A., our team of attorneys and paralegals skilled in adoption issues regularly navigate these most interesting cases both to, and from, Minnesota; assisting families to complete their interstate adoption plans in the most efficient and economical manner possible.
