Colorado Springs Adoption Attorneys

Setting the Foundation for a Smooth Adoption Journey for Your Family

The process of adoption in Colorado can be exciting and rewarding. However, the process often feels complex, highly technical, and emotional for most people to handle on their own.

Adoptions — including kinship adoptions, guardianship adoptions, and stepparent adoptions — require a knowledgeable attorney to keep the process on track. Drexler Law provides sound advice and experience in adoption proceedings, along with a straightforward assessment of each case and potential challenges. If you are considering adopting or assuming guardianship, call one of our Colorado Springs guardianship lawyers today to schedule a consultation.

Our team assists families throughout El Paso County and across the Pikes Peak region. Because every adoption case is unique, we offer initial case assessments that account for Colorado's specific laws as well as the requirements of the local probate court. When you work with us, you receive guidance tailored to your circumstances from the beginning to the completion of your adoption journey.

Comprehensive Guidance Through Adoption Requirements

We know that adding another family member to your unit is important, and we want to help. We can help you understand adoption in Colorado and successfully help you navigate the process by explaining how the adoption process works, giving you resources to help you throughout the process and by creating a plan to help you adopt a child.

Our attorneys guide clients from the initial filing through the finalization hearing. We answer questions about required home studies, background checks, and any court-mandated interviews. Our hands-on approach keeps you informed about timelines, possible fees, and documentation needed at each step, reducing surprises along the way. Because Colorado regulations change occasionally, we help you follow every current requirement relevant to your case, including those for local courts in Colorado Springs.

Adoptions are rarely automatic. While the process may seem straightforward, adoption always requires a legal basis for the court to terminate a biological parent’s rights. The adopting party must also show that placing the child with an adoptive parent serves the child’s best interests.

Generally, an adopting parent must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Pass background checks
• Live in Colorado

If a child is 12 years old or older, the child must usually consent to the adoption. After an adoption is approved, the child will receive a new birth certificate identifying the adoptive parent as the legal parent.

The Adoption Process in Colorado Springs: Step by Step

Understanding how adoption unfolds in Colorado Springs can prepare you for each phase. Families start with a consultation to review their goals and confirm eligibility under Colorado law. We explain how the local El Paso County court oversees adoptions and highlight how specific county requirements can shape the process. Every adoption typically begins with collecting personal and background information, then submitting formal adoption petitions to the court. If a home study or background check is required, you will work with an approved evaluator to complete the process. Next, biological parent rights are addressed, either through voluntary relinquishment or a termination proceeding. The court schedules a hearing, where a judge reviews your paperwork and ensures the adoption serves the child’s best interests. After approval, the family receives a final decree of adoption, granting full legal parental status. Throughout every step, our team keeps up with changes to state and local requirements so you always meet the latest standards. We value clear communication and make sure you always know what to expect next in the El Paso County adoption process.

Costs and Fees for Adoption in Colorado Springs

Planning for adoption requires an understanding of the typical costs involved. In Colorado Springs, adoption fees vary depending on the type of adoption, court filing fees, home study costs, and whether additional legal services are required. While agency and private adoptions often have different fee structures, all families must budget for required court costs and background screenings. Some expenses, like the home study, can vary depending on the agency or approved evaluator. Our team helps clarify expected fees up front and discusses strategies to minimize surprises. Colorado law does not set a fixed price for adoption, but being aware of likely costs lets you plan ahead. We strive to make the financial aspects transparent and help clients provide documentation required by courts or agencies to verify readiness for adoption. Families in El Paso County benefit from our experience working with local court requirements and fee schedules.

Stepparent Adoption in Colorado: What You Need to Know

Stepparents can adopt a stepchild in Colorado, but it is not as easy as it may seem. A biological parent can voluntarily surrender parental rights or a court can terminate those rights based on specific factors, such as failing to pay child support or not exercising parenting time.

Stepparent adoptions in Colorado Springs often involve procedures that differ from other Colorado counties. The family court that manages your adoption requires detailed documentation and strict compliance with Colorado law. The guidance of an adoption attorney experienced in El Paso County helps you understand local timelines and requirements that could affect your family's situation. We clarify what paperwork the court requires and explain each step, including notice requirements for the other biological parent and the court’s expectations for the stepparent’s relationship with the child.

Consider the effect on an uninvolved or absent parent — when parental rights end, so do the rights and duties to pay child support or provide other support for the child. A relinquishing parent must still pay any past due child support that accrued before the adoption, but that parent is no longer obligated for future payments.

Sometimes, a biological parent will contest the adoption despite not being present for a significant time. In these cases, a court may grant a stepparent adoption by terminating the uninvolved parent's rights involuntarily. If you are seeking to adopt a stepchild or are a biological parent concerned about a child’s best interests, consider speaking with an experienced adoption attorney to help you navigate the process.

Grandparent Adoption in Colorado: Your Rights & Options

Colorado remains one of the few states that recognize the essential role grandparents play in a child's upbringing. Grandparent adoptions may include extra steps, and Drexler Law stands ready to guide you in formalizing a plan of adoption or a temporary plan to protect your grandchild or grandchildren.

When seeking adoption as a grandparent in Colorado Springs, you may need to address both state statutes and local court guidelines. El Paso County courts require evidence that the adoption benefits the child’s welfare, and the process may involve home evaluations or interviews from social services. Our attorneys prepare families for these additional steps and outline what to expect during hearings at the local courthouse.

A grandparent may seek a legal allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time with minor children in certain situations. If a child’s parent dies or cannot care for the child, Colorado law allows a grandparent or another appropriate party to continue parenting time or visitation rights.

Deciding if a grandparent can request parenting time with a grandchild involves a careful legal analysis and usually requires help from an experienced adoption lawyer. Colorado's Children's Code and the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act both establish laws that protect grandparents' and other nonparents' rights to custody or visitation with minor children.

Schedule Your Consultation Today for Adoption Guidance in Colorado Springs

Many factors and laws affect adoption, guardianship, custody, and the allocation of parental rights. Let Drexler Law help you navigate these complex laws and procedures so you can protect what matters most.

Every step you take in an adoption shapes your family’s future. We stay current on changes in Colorado Springs family law and explain how recent judicial decisions or policy changes may affect your adoption timeline. Our team serves clients across the Pikes Peak region, maintaining trusted relationships with local court staff and understanding what judges expect at final hearings. With these insights, we deliver steady guidance throughout your adoption or guardianship case.