Stepparent, relative, foster care, and adult adoptions for families in Weirton, Wheeling, Moundsville, Wellsburg, and across the Northern Panhandle.
Many of the adoptions we handle start with a family that already exists: a stepparent who has raised a child for years, grandparents or other relatives who stepped in when a child needed them, or foster parents ready to make a placement permanent. The legal process is about making that relationship official and secure.
Adoptions in West Virginia are handled by the circuit court. For families in the Northern Panhandle, that usually means the circuit court in New Cumberland for Hancock County, Wellsburg for Brooke County, Wheeling for Ohio County, or Moundsville for Marshall County. The process includes the petition, the required consents or the termination of a parent’s rights, any required home study, and a final hearing before the judge.
We are based in Weirton, but we have represented families from throughout West Virginia in adoption cases and handle adoptions anywhere in the state.
Generally, yes, unless the other parent’s rights are terminated or consent is not required under West Virginia law, for example after abandonment. Whether consent is needed is often the central question in a stepparent adoption.
The circuit court. In the Northern Panhandle, that is usually the circuit court in New Cumberland, Wellsburg, Wheeling, or Moundsville.
Yes. Relative adoptions follow the same basic process, including consents or termination of parental rights, and many begin with a guardianship.
Both of our attorneys were raised in the Northern Panhandle and appear regularly in its courts. We offer phone and video consultations for clients who would rather not make the drive to Weirton.
This page provides general information about West Virginia law and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney about your situation.
We will listen, answer your questions, and explain your options. Consultations are free. Call (304) 919-2912 or (304) 919-2119, or send us a message.