You Deserve Justice

Legal Help For Growing Your Family

Adopting a child is an excellent way of ensuring that they have the resources they need to grow up safely. While adoption may be crucial in a child’s development, it is not always easy to secure. When you need help with an adoption or guardianship matter, seek the assistance of an experienced attorney.

I am Scott Scholl, an Arkansas family law attorney with more than 20 years of experience in family law. From my law office, the Scholl Law Firm, PLLC, I help families overcome difficulties in all areas of family law, including adoptions and guardianships.

Adoption Guidance

Stepparents commonly want to adopt their stepchildren, to cement the bonds of their blended family. Stepparent adoption confers all the rights and recognition of a natural parent, as well as legal obligations for child support and inheritance. But it must address a typical difficulty: convincing the other birth parent to waive their parental rights. This will free the birth parent from obligations of child support and inheritance, which may be an incentive for them to consent to the adoption and termination of their parental rights.

I also counsel mothers (or fathers) who are seeking a “single-parent adoption.” You cannot literally adopt your own child, but you can formalize your status as the lone legal parent if the other natural parent has been absent and not involved in the child’s support or development. To terminate parental rights you must prove abandonment, abuse or another compelling reason beyond “I don’t want my ex in my life anymore.” I can help you make the case to the court that your child is best served by severing parental rights.

I can also facilitate private adoptions, helping mothers and adopting couples work out the arrangements and satisfy the legal requirements.

No matter what kind of adoption you are pursuing, I can provide you with skilled guidance to provide you with a swift resolution to help you and your family move into the next chapter of your lives.

Guardianship Guidance

Sometimes, the parent(s) of a child may be incapable of providing the care and parental guidance they need. When parents cannot perform their parental duties, guardianship can become an option. Grandparents or other family members can try to assume the caretaker role to meet the child’s needs and avoid placement in the foster care system. Common reasons for establishing guardianships include incarceration, child abuse, addiction or mental health problems of the parents.

While this route does not have to end in adoption, it can do so if necessary. Whether you are trying to protect your grandchild or niece or nephew until their parents get back on their feet or you are looking for a more permanent situation, I can help you do what is right for the children in your family law situation.

Let Me Help Your Family

I am an attorney committed to helping his clients secure the outcome that best represents their needs, and I have the skill and knowledge to help make that happen. I have offices in Little Rock so call 501-588-1148 or email me here to schedule your initial consultation today. The sooner you meet with me, the sooner I can begin helping your family.