When it comes to child protection matters in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota, all parties involved should share a common goal: to provide for the well-being of the child or children in question.
A safe, stable, healthy and loving home is a significant part of any child’s well-being. When children are removed from an abusive or otherwise unhealthy situation and placed into foster care, the next step is to either take appropriate steps to reuniting the child with his or her biological parents, or finding a permanent home through adoption or the transfer of permanent legal custody.
YOUR ATTORNEY, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND YOUR ADVOCATE
I am Eric Anderson, founder and principal attorney at Anderson Defense. With experience working as a public defender as well as in the private sector, I dedicate a substantial portion of my practice to handling child protection matters in Hennepin County and the surrounding Twin Cities metro.
I routinely work with parents, foster parents and children who have had their lives turned upside down due to allegations of abuse, misconduct and other factors that break up their homes. As your representative, I’ll make sure you understand what’s at stake, your options going forward and will offer advice regarding the best course of action.
When social services removes a child from his or her home, there are a few common scenarios that may play out. The first option is to reunite the child by establishing that the allegations against the parent or caregiver were incorrect. In cases where the child cannot be reunited with his or her parents, we can pursue adoption or a transfer of permanent legal custody:
- Adoption: Adoption provides children with the same legal benefits as children naturally born into the family. To complete an adoption, the parental rights of the biological parents will need to be terminated.
- Transfer of permanent legal custody: The transfer of legal custody is similar to adoption, however, the legal relationship between the child and his or her caregiver will end when the child turns 18 and legally considered an adult. When transferring custody, the biological parents’ rights will not be terminated. Furthermore, the biological parents will have a right to continued contact and visitation with the child.
In each of these cases, we may want to look at options for pursuing an inter-family adoption or transfer of custody to limit the burden on the children. I can also outline the differences between voluntarily and involuntarily terminating parental rights.
As mentioned, each case is unique. That is why it’s important to act quickly and speak with a lawyer about the specifics of your case. When you reach out to me, we can have an honest discussion about your issue and develop a plan of action tailored to you and your family’s best interests.
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS — CALL ME FOR ANSWERS
Call me, Eric Anderson, at 612-373-9490 or send an email to schedule a free initial consultation. I make an effort to respond to calls and emails as quickly as possible. From my office in Minneapolis, I work with clients throughout the Twin Cities.
