Missouri Adoption Attorney

Whether you’re finalizing a step-parent adoption, welcoming a child through private adoption, agency-based adoption, or relative adoption, or formalizing a lifelong bond through an adult adoption, our goal is to make the process clear, supportive, and deeply meaningful.

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Attorney Kayla Welch brings both personal and professional insight to every case. As an adoptee herself, she understands how significant each step of this journey is for every family member involved. Welch Law Office provides experienced legal guidance that helps families navigate the adoption process with confidence, care, and respect.

When a step-parent steps into a parental role, adoption creates the permanent legal connection that already exists in your heart. We guide families through every step — from obtaining consents or determining whether you can proceed without consent to finalizing the adoption in court — ensuring that the process is handled efficiently and with care.

Whether you’re a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other family member providing a stable home, Welch Law Office helps you navigate the paperwork, hearings, and background checks needed to make that stability permanent. Our firm works to protect the child’s best interests while keeping the process as smooth as possible.

Adult adoptions allow families to legally recognize relationships that have long existed in practice. We help clients finalize adult adoptions in a respectful and straightforward manner, honoring the deep emotional bonds that truly define family — regardless of age.

How long does an adoption take?
The timeline depends on the type of adoption, the court’s schedule, and the specific circumstances of your case. Generally speaking, step-parent adoptions and guardianships to adoptions can be completed the quickest because the family can bypass Missouri's 6-month waiting period. Traditional, private or agency-based adoptions will take, at minimum, 6 months to finalize. Our office ensures each step is handled efficiently to avoid unnecessary delays.

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Do biological parents have to consent?
In most cases, consent is required — but there are exceptions, such as cases involving a prior termination of parental rights. through a state process or based on abandonment. We’ll help you determine what’s needed for your specific situation.

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Can I handle an adoption without an attorney?
Even straightforward adoptions involve complex legal steps and precise paperwork to obtain a Judgment of Adoption. Afterwards, there are additional processes to obtain your child's new birth certificate. Having an attorney ensures the process is completed properly, avoiding delays or complications later.