http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Adoption/Federal/index.html LawInfo - Legal Resource Center offers free legal forms and free legal documents that is designed to help consumers and businesses resolve their legal issues http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Adoption/Federal/what-is-the-process-of-adoption-how-is-it-sta.html All prospective persons wishing to adopt must first participate in a full investigation, which includes an assessment completed by a juvenile court officer, or a licensed social worker.  This investigation determines whether the child is suitable for adoption by the adopter and whether the adopter(s) is suitable for the child.  This assessment and investigation is known as the home study, and usually last six to eight weeks.  During this time, interviews of the prospective parent(s) are conducted, and a home visit with all family members is completed.  Information on each member of the household is investigated, including: medical and criminal background, child abuse history, documentation of income and financial resources, family structure within the home (other children, etc.), religious, educational, and physical and mental health history of all household members, and parenting background of the applicant(s) and their reasons for adoption.  This information is then summarized, and forms the basis of the assessor's impressions and recommendations to a court of law. Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Adoption/Federal/what-is-adoption.html Adoption is the legal process by which a person becomes a lawful member of a family different from their birth family.  Once a final order of adoption has been ruled by a court of law, the adoptive parents gain the same rights and responsibilities as parents whose children are born to them; subsequently, an adopted child gains the same rights as birth children in regard to inheritance, child support, and other legal matters.  In most U.S. jurisdictions, at the time the adoption is finalized, the adopted child's name is legally changed, and the court orders the issuance of a new, amended birth certificate. Adoption FAQs Tue, 29 May 2007 21:19:00 GMT http://resources.lawinfo.com/en/Legal-FAQs/Adoption-Law/Federal/index.html Free Adoption Law FAQs Adoption Sub-categories Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:17:58 GMT