Ms. Treynor can assist your family in adoptions, name changes and guardianships as well.   Before you seek to change the birth name of a child, keep in mind that if you think an adoption may be in that child’s future, a name change will a part of that process automatically.

When do you need to file a guardianship as opposed to an adoption?  An adoption is a termination of a birth parent’s legal claims to a child, and awards those claims to the adoptive parent.  Adoptive parent become the “birth parents” for all intents and purposes, including rights of inheritance and the payment of support.   A guardianship doesn’t terminate any parental rights, but assigns the obligation to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the ward to the guardian.   The need to place a grandchild on a medical insurance policy or place a child in school within the guardian’s district are common reasons to file for guardianship.   Many special needs adults have guardians.