Are you searching for the adoption that is right for you and your family?
Are you uncertain about the process?
Are you looking for an attorney you will feel comfortable working with?

The Law Office of Madonna M. Finney may be able to assist you. We are a small law firm of all women offering comprehensive adoption services with care, concern and a personal touch. We are available to work with you individually, answer your questions and assist you in making the adoption plans that are right for you and your family. We are sensitive to the fact that while adoption may be one of life's most rewarding experiences, the adoption process itself may at times be overwhelming. We are dedicated to guiding our families through these times with care, concern, and professionalism and limit our legal practice to adoption. If you would like to speak with us, please call (850) 577-3077 Monday - Friday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

For more information, select the topics of interest to you: What are the adoption options? What type of adoption is right for me? Private Intermediary Adoption Why should I select the Law Office of Madonna M. Finney? Will you work with U.S. Military families? Will you work with out-of-state families? How do we start the adoption process? Biographies of the professionals at the Law Office of Madonna M. Finney

What are the adoption options?

Adoptions fall into several categories such as international adoption, private/intermediary adoption and agency adoption. Within those categories, individual adoption situations may vary, as long as they comply with legal requirements. Our firm assists families with intermediary adoptions, sometimes known as "private" or direct placement adoptions. We also represent Florida families in stepparent adoption.

What type of adoption is right for me?

That is the question each family must answer for themselves. We are available to help you through this process and provide you with the information to assist in making the decisions that are right for you and your family.

Private Intermediary Adoption The Law Office of Madonna M. Finney assists families with the adoption of children through private/intermediary adoption. In Florida, attorneys may act as intermediaries between adoptive parents and birth parents who desire to place their child for adoption. These are sometimes know as "private," "direct placement" or "non-agency" adoptions. Private intermediary adoptions do not have many of the arbitrary restrictions you may have heard of in other adoptions, such as age, religion and length of marriage requirements. Typically, newborn children are placed with the adoptive family upon discharge from the hospital, with no need for foster care. Adoptive families are often afforded the opportunity to be present at the birth and to bond with the child immediately thereafter. A birth mother may call us and ask that we make arrangements to place her child, without ever knowing about the adoptive family. This is often known as a "closed" adoption. However, most often the birth mother or birth parents will play a role in selecting the family to adopt their child, and to a greater or lesser extent the adoption will be "open" with the parties knowing something of one another. Sometimes this is simply the exchange of first names, others may choose to actually meet in person and get to know one another. We will assist you with the type of adoption you want, not what someone else thinks you should have, within the limits of all applicable laws. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your desires for adoption and our policies and fees.

How long will private intermediary adoption take?

There is no exact answer to this question. If you desire a private intermediary adoption, unless you have a birth mother willing to surrender her child to you, you will likely have to wait to be selected by birth parents. While we maintain a Family Profiles for birth parents to use in selecting a family, we do not maintain a "waiting list" as most birth parents want input in selecting the family to adopt their child. The less restrictive you are on the type of child and adoption you are interested in, the less wait you often have.

What will private intermediary adoption cost?

The cost of adoption varies, depending on the particulars of your adoption situation. Each adoption creates specific circumstances which vary the cost of each category of expenses involved such as assistance to the birth mother for medical expenses, living expenses, maternity clothing, counseling and transportation. Costs associated with adoption include: your home study fee your legal fees and costs birth mother expenses and support, which may include: medical care counseling living expenses maternity clothes transportation Will you work with military families? Yes, U.S. military families who claim residency in the State of Florida may adopt as any other Florida family. Those with other states of residency may be assisted as any other out-of-state family.

Will you work with out-of-state families?

Yes, the Law Office of Madonna M. Finney works with out-of-state families. Non-Florida residents will have additional costs as a result of Interstate Compact requirements.

Why should I select the Law Office of Madonna M. Finney? We are a small law firm of all women, dedicated to offering you a caring, concerned approach to adoption. We will work with you personally to help determine your individual needs and desires as they relate to this process. We are dedicated to delivering comprehensive adoption services in a professional and caring manner. We are dedicated to the needs of children and their families and limit our legal practice to adoption. How do we start the adoption process? If you are interested in starting the adoption process, please call us at (850) 577-3077, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm, Eastern Standard Time or e-mail us at MMFinney@aol.com. We will be happy to send you written information or to arrange a consultation at a time convenient for you, either in person or on the telephone. We charge an initial consultation fee of $300. Consultation fees may be waived for families seeking to adopt only special needs/minority children.