Michigan Laws 710.55a – Representation by attorney
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(1) An attorney shall not represent a party in a direct placement adoption unless the attorney is an adoption attorney. An attorney or law firm shall not serve as the attorney for, or provide legal services to, both a parent or guardian and a prospective adoptive parent.
(2) In a direct placement or agency placement adoption, if the minor parent of a child who is a potential adoptee is not represented by an attorney, the adoption attorney or child placing agency that is providing adoption services involving that minor parent shall provide the minor parent with an opportunity to discuss with an attorney who is not associated with the adoption attorney or child placing agency the legal ramifications of a consent or release, or of the termination of parental rights, before the execution of a consent or release or the termination of parental rights.
Terms Used In Michigan Laws 710.55a
- Adoptee: means the individual who is to be adopted, regardless of whether the individual is a child or an adult. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Adoption attorney: means an attorney acting as counsel in an adoption proceeding or case. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Agency placement: means a placement in which a child placing agency, the department, or a court selects the adoptive parent for the child and transfers physical custody of the child to the prospective adoptive parent. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Child: means an individual less than 18 years of age. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Child placing agency: means a private organization licensed under 1973 PA 116, MCL 722. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Consent: means a document in which all parental rights over a specific child are voluntarily relinquished to the court for placement with a specific adoptive parent. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Direct placement: means a placement in which a parent or guardian selects an adoptive parent for a child, other than a stepparent or an individual related to the child within the fifth degree by marriage, blood, or adoption, and transfers physical custody of the child to the prospective adoptive parent. See Michigan Laws 710.22
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Release: means a document in which all parental rights over a specific child are voluntarily relinquished to the department or to a child placing agency. See Michigan Laws 710.22