Legal Security for Grandparent Adoption Matters

Adoption of a minor child by a grandparent caregiver can be an important tool for ensuring the legal security of the child. Given the significant divorce rate, economic hardship, psychological instability, teen pregnancy, and substance abuse we see all around us, it is not surprising that there are many families where grandchildren are being raised by their grandparents. In a fair number of cases, the child’s parents have been unable, or in some cases unwilling, to adequately parent the child and have reached out to their own parents for help.

In other situations, the grandparents have taken the initiative to step in to assume custody and care of the child. Some parents are unable to provide financially for themselves, much less their child; some are not emotionally ready or capable of providing for the physical, mental, and emotional needs of a child; some, through admirable self-evaluation, have concluded that they are not suited for the responsibilities of parenthood; and in some sad cases, parents have neglected or abused their children.

A Grandmother's Love

Our client Liza, a grandmosther, stepped forward to adopt her grandson, ensuring stability, protection, and a loving future. 

When Grandparents Become the Primary Caregivers

In many instances, the grandmother or grandfather has been the sole caregiver for years, the grandchild’s parents have been largely absent from the child’s life, and as a consequence, the grandson or granddaughter has identified with the grandparent as his or her parent. 

In such cases, the grandparent has become the child’s de facto parent, paying for medical care, school, and recreational expenses, ferrying the child to and from sports practice, dance lessons, school plays, and other activities, and attending doctor visits and teacher conferences. In some cases, grandparents are the only mother and father the child has ever known.

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little boy and grandfather

Legal Limitations Without Adoption

Although the grandparent may be doing all the “heavy lifting” of parenting a grandson or granddaughter, the grandparent does not have the same status vis-à-vis the child as a biological or legal parent of the child. Thus, although the grandparents are fulfilling all the responsibilities of parenthood, they are not afforded the rights of parenthood. This can complicate the ongoing care of the child and the grandparent’s ability to raise the child, and adoption may cure these problems.

Client Testimonials Words From Our Clients

A wonderful experience adopting our son

We had a wonderful experience adopting our son from foster care thanks to Tate Healey Webster! Erica Healey and her team were not only knowledgeable, but were also so supportive...

We had a wonderful experience adopting our son from foster care thanks to Tate Healey Webster! Erica Healey and her team were not only knowledgeable, but were also so supportive and excited to be a part of our son’s story. They were very prompt, responsive, and even after adoption was finalized were still there to answer questions we had. I can’t recommend them enough!

Victoria M.

Everyone at the firm went out of their way for me

I want to let everyone know that I highly recommend this firm. I had an extremely strange case. Just about anything and everything that could’ve went wrong… went wr...

I want to let everyone know that I highly recommend this firm. I had an extremely strange case. Just about anything and everything that could’ve went wrong… went wrong. This all happened before I got in touch with THW law firm. I started my professional relationship with them when I emailed them in a complete panic. Everyone at the law firm went out of their way for me, and at that time, I wasn’t even a client. Then I was assigned the dynamic duo, Erica and Meredith. My case took a long time due to COVID and strategic maneuvers on our part. I finally was able to officially adopt my grandson on May 12,2025. 
This law firm is not cheap, but you get what you pay for with attorneys, so you don’t want the cheapest one. Also, remember to trust the process. They are the experts and know what they’re doing even if it may not seem so in your layman’s eyes.

Liza R.

Made this dream come true for our family!

We had the best experience with Tate, Healey, and Webster Adoption attorneys. Briana was extremely helpful, putting us at ease the entire time through the process. Today was ado...

We had the best experience with Tate, Healey, and Webster Adoption attorneys. Briana was extremely helpful, putting us at ease the entire time through the process. Today was adoption day and both the attorney and Judge were just   as excited as we were, making it a memorable experience and many happy tears! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this dream come true for our family!!

Jodi F.

They made a normally terribly taxing experience a smooth process they handled everything. Extremely professional and working with Meredith and Brianna was a pleasure. They went ...

They made a normally terribly taxing experience a smooth process they handled everything. Extremely professional and working with Meredith and Brianna was a pleasure. They went above and beyond in the adoption of my son Cooper and got accomplished in a matter of months what would have taken me years without their excellent legal representation. I highly reccomend this team to anyone looking for legal help during the adoption process.

Keith B.

I highly recommend Tate Healey Webster to anyone seeking legal assistance in all aspects of adoption. I have worked in the legal field for over 43 years, and have the honor and ...

I highly recommend Tate Healey Webster to anyone seeking legal assistance in all aspects of adoption. I have worked in the legal field for over 43 years, and have the honor and pleasure of knowing Jeanne Tate for over 40 of those years. Jeanne’s integrity, grit, and vast knowledge in all aspects of law are second to none. In forming Tate Healey Webster, Jeanne has put together a dedicated team of professionals who are meticulous and thorough in their work, and will handle your case with the utmost care and professionalism.

Teresa J.

We had the best experience with Tate, Healey, and Webster Adoption attorneys. Briana was extremely helpful, putting us at ease the entire time through the process. Today was ado...

We had the best experience with Tate, Healey, and Webster Adoption attorneys. Briana was extremely helpful, putting us at ease the entire time through the process. Today was adoption day and both the attorney and Judge were just as excited as we were, making it a memorable experience and many happy tears! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this dream come true for our family!!

Jodi F.

We would highly recommend THW Law. Babara Ginn and Danielle were both professional and compassionate. Our adoption case had an unpredictable event, and we were supported and per...

We would highly recommend THW Law. Babara Ginn and Danielle were both professional and compassionate. Our adoption case had an unpredictable event, and we were supported and perfectly represented by Barbara and Danielle. Their diligence in difficult circumstances is amazing! We are grateful!

Dora T.

Briana and the team at Tate Healey Weber made this experience seamless and hassle free. She handled the international portion quickly and gave us total peace of mind. She was ve...

Briana and the team at Tate Healey Weber made this experience seamless and hassle free. She handled the international portion quickly and gave us total peace of mind. She was very responsive and answered the thousands of questions I had. Highly recommend them!

Janvb G.

Highly recommend this office/attorneys and staff! They represented us very well! Their professionalism and promptness exceeded beyond normal expectations. They had a quick turn ...

Highly recommend this office/attorneys and staff! They represented us very well! Their professionalism and promptness exceeded beyond normal expectations. They had a quick turn around of email responses and filing paperwork for adoption. She always answered phone calls and questions and genuinely cared to help. You don’t find this type of help and service anywhere. Mrs.Tate went above and beyond to help me with a situation of urgent matter that wasn’t even her responsibility. She cares about her clients and again exceeded all my expectations. I am throughly glad I choose this office and had a wonderful experience.

Amanda K.

We had such a great experience with this firm. They kept us updated on our adoption case and were quick to respond to emails.  The attorney that represented us for our fina...

We had such a great experience with this firm. They kept us updated on our adoption case and were quick to respond to emails.  The attorney that represented us for our finalization hearing was so kind and nice. Everyone we worked with was outstanding! Highly recommend!

Ashley P.

THW has allowed our family to be whole for the first time. No more fear and no more sadness. I cannot thank this firm enough. They are VERY professional and are with you the ent...

THW has allowed our family to be whole for the first time. No more fear and no more sadness. I cannot thank this firm enough. They are VERY professional and are with you the entire journey. I would absolutely recommend Tate Healey and Webster for all family court needs. My wife and I are able to look forward to the future now instead of worrying about the present. Thank you for all you’ve done for our family.

Daniel P.

I want to let everyone know that i highly recommend this firm. I had an extremely strange case. Just about anything and everything that could’ve went wrong… went wr...

I want to let everyone know that i highly recommend this firm. I had an extremely strange case. Just about anything and everything that could’ve went wrong… went wrong. This all happened before I got in touch with THW law firm. I started my professional relationship with them when I emailed them in a complete panic. Everyone at the law firm went out of their way for me, and at that time, I wasn’t even a client. Then I was assigned the dynamic duo, Erica and Meredith. My case took a long time due to COVID and strategic maneuvers on our part. I finally was able to officially adopt my grandson on May 12,2025. This law firm is not cheap, but you get what you pay for with attorneys, so you don’t want the cheapest one. Also, remember to trust the process. They are the experts and know what they’re doing even if it may not seem so in your layman’s eyes.

Liza R.

We had a wonderful experience adopting our son from foster care thanks to Tate Healey Webster! Erica Healey and her team were not only knowledgeable, but were also so supportive...

We had a wonderful experience adopting our son from foster care thanks to Tate Healey Webster! Erica Healey and her team were not only knowledgeable, but were also so supportive and excited to be a part of our son’s story. They were very prompt, responsive, and even after adoption was finalized were still there to answer questions we had. I can’t recommend them enough!

Victoria M.

Working with this firm has been the greatest experience. We had a powerful team who worked incredibly hard for us from start to finish and even with a challenging case, they pul...

Working with this firm has been the greatest experience. We had a powerful team who worked incredibly hard for us from start to finish and even with a challenging case, they pulled out a win for us and blessed our family more than words can explain. Highly recommend them!!!! They are life changers.

Shay W.

We had the pleasure of working with Danielle Barksdale and Sue Eggert. These ladies helped our adoption process run smoothly. They were kind and helpful. We were so thankful to ...

We had the pleasure of working with Danielle Barksdale and Sue Eggert. These ladies helped our adoption process run smoothly. They were kind and helpful. We were so thankful to have them in our corner.

Megan M.

100% positive experience working with THW from start to finish!  Sue is an amazing communicator and kept us in the loop with important timelines, documentation requirements...

100% positive experience working with THW from start to finish!  Sue is an amazing communicator and kept us in the loop with important timelines, documentation requirements, and information for the final hearing.  Any questions were answered within 24 hours or less and we felt very comfortable having them finalize for us.  They were genuinely happy and excited for us and it was a pleasure to have them involved with such a momentous blessing.  They are definitely on our holiday card list!  We highly recommend using THW for adoption representation!

Mary L.

I was referred to Tate Healey Webster by a trusted friend and was told they were the best adoption attorneys in town.  I am here to say that I agree 100% with that statemen...

I was referred to Tate Healey Webster by a trusted friend and was told they were the best adoption attorneys in town.  I am here to say that I agree 100% with that statement. I went into their office for a consult and was greeted with the warmest smile and a feeling of safety. The team at Tate Healey Webster , Erica Healey, specifically, since that is who we worked with, was top notch in knowledge and attitude. She took her time learning what it is I we needed and wanted and she listened tentatively to all of the details and my concerns.  Erica, handled all the heavy lifting with our case and made our part seamless. Her team reached out when they needed any additional information and worked diligently to get our case handled in a timely manner.  In a little under 8 months we went from application to custody and couldn’t be happier with the results.  We have the family we have always wanted and are living our best lives full of love!! If you are looking to adopt or have any family concerns, I highly recommend Tate Healey Webster and their Associates!!

Janis B.

I would highly recommend Attorney Erica Healy and Paralegal Meredith Moore and their team to anyone looking for help with adoption. They were extremely helpful and went above an...

I would highly recommend Attorney Erica Healy and Paralegal Meredith Moore and their team to anyone looking for help with adoption. They were extremely helpful and went above and beyond to help us with the adoption process of our Granddaughter. I have worked with Attorneys before, and none compared to these two. They kept us up to date on all things going on, answered all our calls and emails even during Holidays, in an extremely fast fashion, unlike other attorneys. They made the adoption process easy and painless which is extremely important when you have no idea what you are walking into. Our case was uniquely special with having to find a parent and they did that in no time, even with this parent being homeless. I can't say enough about the extreme satisfaction and pure gratitude I have for them. They are excellent in my eyes. Our adoption finalized in 6 months.  New Adoption Birthday 4/7/2025. I will add that they are also very reasonable with pricing. Additional Thank You to Judge Ayres who was amazing.  I give 5 stars to this firm and all they did for us and if I could give a higher rating I would. Beyond Grateful and Blessed.

Judi L.

Highly recommend! They made the process so easy and had great communication with us along the way. My family and I truly appreciate their help in this process!

Amber F.

We are so thankful for Attorney Robert Webster and Paralegal Meredith. They represented us when our Adoption Agency and their Attorney were not doing their job. They fought for ...

We are so thankful for Attorney Robert Webster and Paralegal Meredith. They represented us when our Adoption Agency and their Attorney were not doing their job. They fought for us, listened to us, and were there for any questions we had. They gave us hope when we truly felt helpless. Thanks to Attorney Rob and Meredith we got TPR and finalization!

Anna G.

Jeanne Tate helped us navigate and successfully complete a complex adoption process.  She listened to our concerns and addressed them fully and consistently.  In court...

Jeanne Tate helped us navigate and successfully complete a complex adoption process.  She listened to our concerns and addressed them fully and consistently.  In court she stood out for her professionalism, knowledge and reputation.  It was obvious that the judges in our case respected her position and opinions.  We felt confident each step of the way, from the initial consultation to the final hearing, that we were well represented and made the right choice in hiring the firm to represent us.

Kevin B.

Timely, efficient, and an amazing staff.  Easy to work with and so helpful. We are extremely grateful for this firm. Thank you for everything. If you need the best of the b...

Timely, efficient, and an amazing staff.  Easy to work with and so helpful. We are extremely grateful for this firm. Thank you for everything. If you need the best of the best, look no further.

Katy D.

They are the very best at helping families with the foster to adoption legal paperwork, they communicated well, and were very organized and professional. I wouldn't look anywher...

They are the very best at helping families with the foster to adoption legal paperwork, they communicated well, and were very organized and professional. I wouldn't look anywhere else if we ever needed future legal assistance!

Jens B.

Wow wow wow what a great day for our family. Today is adoption day for our family! The Tate Healey Webster firm was great handling our case. We worked very closely with our Para...

Wow wow wow what a great day for our family. Today is adoption day for our family! The Tate Healey Webster firm was great handling our case. We worked very closely with our Paralegal Meredith and she was awesome. All our questions were answer and we cruised through this adoption process very easy and quickly. Thank you all for being so great at what you do. I highly recommend your firm to any other parents looking for guidance during the adoption process. Thank you!

Allan B.

I would recommend this firm to anyone regarding adoptions. The staff...
I would recommend this firm to anyone regarding adoptions. The staff is very efficient and friendly. I couldn't have made it through the adoption of my grandson without them. From the first problem that I had with this adoption, Erica, worked endlessly until it was resolved with positive results. They made you feel very comfortable knowing that they were handling this case with all their experience and knowledge. From the very first call from Jeanne Tate, she had the ball in motion. Jeanne and Erica really cared about the problems that arose . They made me feel like a person and not like a number. Because of their expertise, I was able to adopt my grandson last year and give him the stability that he needs.
Shirley N.

It was a long waiting game but they were there for me and my family every step of the way. Even though they are not based in my town/county, they reassured us that everything ca...

It was a long waiting game but they were there for me and my family every step of the way. Even though they are not based in my town/county, they reassured us that everything can be done over the phone, email, and via video call. I'm very happy with choosing this particular firm that represented me in adopting my daughter. Without their help I'm not so sure we would have won our case. I highly recommend them to anyone who is looking into a stepparent adoption or adoption in general. Kim Lewis answered all my questions thoroughly and was quick at getting back with me and working around my busy schedule. Thank you so much for making what would have been a strenuous process for us be so smooth sailing. Also most importantly thank you for completing my family. It definitely was the best Christmas present our family has ever received.

Chris S.

This is our second time using Tate, Healey & Webster Attorneys for our child's adoption. Their team is extremely friendly, hard working, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work...

This is our second time using Tate, Healey & Webster Attorneys for our child's adoption. Their team is extremely friendly, hard working, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. I recommend them for all of your family attorney needs.

Cathleen M.

My husband and I hired Jeanne Tate's Law firm for our adoption process. The staff was amazing! Meredith always returned all of my phone calls, answered all my questions. She was...

My husband and I hired Jeanne Tate's Law firm for our adoption process. The staff was amazing! Meredith always returned all of my phone calls, answered all my questions. She was very compassionate. I would recommend this law firm.

Serena R.

This law firm is first class. The processed our adoption wonderfully.  They communicate so well and make the process easy.  We had a contested adoption which was tough...

This law firm is first class. The processed our adoption wonderfully.  They communicate so well and make the process easy.  We had a contested adoption which was tough but they stayed the course and took care of everything. Wonderful staff and wonderful to work with.  Would definitely recommend.  We have used other attorneys in other failed adoptions and they were not at the level as Jeanne Tate’s firm.

Josh A.

My wife and I worked with Jeanne and her team to successfully resolve a contested adoption. The entire team was very helpful, organized, and responsive. We felt that we couldn't...

My wife and I worked with Jeanne and her team to successfully resolve a contested adoption. The entire team was very helpful, organized, and responsive. We felt that we couldn't have chosen a better lawyer and likely would have had a different outcome without Jeanne. We'd recommend them without hesitation, and they will be our first call if we pursue another adoption.

Joe N.

They ensured every legal detail was handled with absolute precision

Navigating the legal side of growing our family through a gestational carrier was one of the most intimidating processes I’ve ever faced, but working with Tate Healey Webs...

Navigating the legal side of growing our family through a gestational carrier was one of the most intimidating processes I’ve ever faced, but working with Tate Healey Webster changed everything. From the very beginning, they ensured every legal detail was handled with absolute precision, from drafting our gestational carrier contract to securing our pre‑birth order. Their expertise gave us confidence at every step. When unexpected issues arose at the hospital, they were immediately responsive and stepped in without hesitation. They made sure the hospital understood our rights as the intended parents, which brought us so much peace during an already emotional time. What truly amazed us was how quickly they expedited the amended birth certificate process. Thanks to their diligence and strong communication with the judge, we received our miracle baby’s birth certificate far faster than we ever expected. That moment meant the world to us. This journey can feel overwhelming, but having the right attorney makes all the difference. I cannot express enough gratitude for the support, guidance, and genuine care we received from everyone on this legal team. If you’re considering moving forward with your own family‑building journey, please don’t let the legal process scare you. With this team, you will be protected, supported, and truly cared for every step of the way.

Kristie

How Grandparent Adoption Provides Legal Protection

Adoption of the grandchild by a grandparent establishes legally the parent-child relationship already existing between the child and the grandparent and affords all the legal protections of the parent-child relationship, including such things as child support, succession of property upon the grandparent’s death, and all other laws that affect parents and children. 

The legal process for adoption involves the termination of the legal and/or biological parental rights and the finalization of the grandparent’s adoption of the child. Through adoption, the child is the child of the grandparents just as though born to them, and the adopting grandparents obligate themselves for such things as child support, as well as all other parental responsibilities and liabilities with respect to the child, and have full parental prerogatives and rights with respect to the child. 

Florida Law and Grandparent Adoption

Since the grandparents are related to the child within the third degree of consanguinity, Florida law provides for a unified legal process and does not require a grandparent to have a home study, unless a subsidy is being pursued. Many times, the consent of a birth parent can be waived or excused by the court.

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Guidance From Experienced Adoption Attorneys

If you have questions about how to do a grandparent adoption, if you are interested in adopting your grandchild or grandchildren, or if you are a parent who wishes to have your child adopted by the child’s grandparents, please contact Tate Healey Webster by calling our office, or contacting us online.

The adoption attorneys at Tate Healey Webster have focused their practice on adoption law for a combined total of over 120 years and have helped complete thousands of adoptions. Click here to learn what considerations to take into account when selecting an adoption attorney. Click here if you have questions about what financial resources may be available to assist you on your adoption journey.

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Your Trusted Partner in the Adoption & Surrogacy Process

With years of experience and a commitment to personalized service, Tate Healey Webster Adoption Attorneys is proud to be a trusted partner in adoption throughout the state. We understand that every adoption is unique, which is why we offer tailored legal solutions and support. If you’re ready to begin your adoption journey, contact us today. Let us help you bring your family closer together through the miracle of adoption.

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