Recent News

Stepparent adoptions allow a stepparent to adopt his or her partner’s child, and to become the child’s parent in the eyes of the law. Stepparent adoptions are one of the most joyful types of family law cases, as the family is becoming legally one, and the child is gaining a parent who loves the child… Read More

Families must make a number of decisions in the adoption process. Foremost among them, in Washington State, is the decision of whether or not to pursue an “open” or a “closed” adoption. Washington is one of a few states that allows adoptive parents, birth parents, and if appropriate, the child, to enter into a legally… Read More

January 27th, 2022 attorney Dimitra Scott discusses assisted reproduction and outlines the basics of donor agreements & embryo adoptions. Read More

The U.S. tax code presently allows adoptive families a tax related benefit for any and all qualifying costs and fees incurred in pursuing an adoption. The IRS allows a fairly broad definition of allowed costs and fees such that in most cases, any and all fees and costs paid to an adoption agency, an attorney,… Read More

August 26th, 2021 Attorney Dimitra Scott and her guest, Joan Ward, MSW, LICSW answer frequently asked questions about the pre-adoption homestudy process. Joan has been a Washington State Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) providing services to children and families for over 30 years. Read More

June 3rd, 2021 Dimitra S. Scott speaks about surrogacy requirements in Washington State. Read More

April 8th, 2021 Dimitra S. Scott discusses options for private adoptions in Washington. Read More

When families plan to have children through an Assisted Reproduction process such as Gestational Surrogacy or Genetic Surrogacy, families are formed with the assistance of physicians and fertility clinics all over the country and indeed, throughout the world.  However, it appears in many case the medical technology developed faster than the laws in most states.… Read More

When you're in a relationship with someone who has children from a prior relationship, it is not uncommon to bond with and treat those children as if they were your own.  It is important, however, to remember your rights as a step-parent differ substantially then the parental rights of a biological or legal parent.  Should… Read More