Confirmatory adoption
A birth certificate is a record. A court order is a protection.
If you and your partner became parents together, you may both be on the birth certificate already. A court order says it in a form that holds up when you travel, move or need it.
Some offices, schools and agencies look past a certificate. A confirmatory adoption or a parentage order gives the parent without a genetic or gestational tie a judgment that is hard to argue with.
It works for two mothers, two fathers and parents of any gender, and for families who used a donor or a surrogate.
Two mothers, two fathers or any two parents
Donor, known donor or surrogate
A judgment you can carry anywhere
Why bother
Certificate or court order?
| A birth certificate alone | A court order | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and moving | A birth certificate aloneA record that may need explaining | A court orderA judgment you can show another state or a border officer |
| Schools and doctors | A birth certificate aloneQuestions each time a form is filed | A court orderOne document that settles who may sign |
| If a relationship ends or a parent dies | A birth certificate aloneParentage can be argued from scratch | A court orderParentage is already decided |
| Cost | A birth certificate aloneNothing now, an unknown amount later | A court orderOne flat fee, then you're done |
What the confirmatory fee covers
One flat fee for the petition, the decree and the hearing.
What it covers
Petition and decree for the second parent
Consents and parentage records
Hearing preparation, by video
What can move it
A known donor or a record that needs correcting changes the papers. We say what each addition costs before you hire us.
How you pay
In two parts: half to start, half before we file. Ask about the schedule on the free call.
The court's filing fee, a home study and background checks are paid to the court or the provider, not to us.
Who this is for
Three families we see most
Two mothers
One gave birth, both are on the certificate. A decree makes the second mother's tie to the child hers in law.
Two fathers
A surrogate gave birth, perhaps in another state. A parentage order or an adoption makes the records match the family.
A parent with a known donor
A written agreement and a court order keep the donor's role and yours both clear.
Before you call
We're married. Do we still need this?
Marriage helps, and a court order helps more. Many families do both so that no one has to ask.
Do we need a home study?
Often a short one, sometimes none. Your county decides, and we tell you before you pay for one.
Do we both come to court?
Usually both parents and the child attend, often by video. The hearing runs a few minutes.
What if our donor is someone we know?
Tell us on the free call. A known donor changes the papers, and we say what each addition costs before you hire us.
Make the paper match the family
A free twenty-minute call, by video, to find out which order fits yours.
The first call is free. Court filing fees, home studies, background checks and any agency or clinic charges are separate, and we list each one beside your fee.