Though it is not common knowledge, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has been connecting loving families with children in need for nearly 40 years.
Under Arizona law, the County Attorney is required to provide free legal representation in any uncontested adoption. An uncontested adoption is one where both natural parents have consented to the adoption.
For the past five years, uncontested adoptions were handled by outside law firms and not overseen or supported by county staff. Upon taking office and learning of this, County Attorney Allister Adel directed staff to no longer utilize non-county attorneys in these matters, saving tax payers approximately $750,000 per year.
The decision also demonstrates County Attorney Adel’s belief that if a loving couple wants to provide a loving home to a child in need, a couple’s sexual orientation should not be a consideration.
“This program is an important service to the residents of Maricopa County,” state County Attorney Allister Adel. “The staff in the Adoptions Bureau looks forward to once again being on the front lines of helping children in need, find loving homes.”
The MCAO Adoptions Bureau represents families in a variety of uncontested adoptions including:
- Adoptions by stepparents or other relatives
- Agency placed children adoptions
- Privately placed children adoptions
- Foreign adoptions
- Foreign re-adoptions
Learn more about this service at: MaricopaCountyAttorney.org/Adoptions