Live in NY, want to adopt in Tennessee

I am assuming there isn't an agency involved? So you would need to follow the normal rules for a private placement. You will need to hire an attorney. The adoption will be in Tennessee and you may be required by law to offer or provide the couple with counseling and/or an attorney (something many adopting couples offer anyway). Sometimes an agency social worker will work in lieu of an attorney depending on the state. (this for the birth parents, you will still need an attorney for yourselves) After a few laps around the block, I am now going to hire only AAAA Attornies who work in the state I am adopting FROM. Many people may disagree. Usually, unless there is a problem with the ICPC you probably won't have to hire anyone in your home state, but you need to be prepared for that financially. The biggest issue, and it is the biggest issue for all interstate adoptions, is the fact that you will be living in Tennessee until NY says you can come home with the baby. During that time, it's a little scary because the adoption is finalized yet but since you know the couple, it makes it much less of a risk. Good luck and feel free to PM me. I live in NY and have learned a fair bit about interstate adoptions from NY.

Our DS was born in TN to a family member. We live in Alaska and if you live outside of TN, you can't do the adoption there. You will have to get an attorney in TN and then one in NY. You will most likely need to bet a home study in NY, but it doesn't need to be completed before the child is born. Our ds's bmom signed custody over to us at the same hearing she signed TPR. We were supposed to wait for the 10 day period to be up, but his bmom agreed that we could leave and we had a friend who is a court child advocate that recommended the we be allowed to take him to AK as soon as we wanted. It took about four months to get a home study and finalize the adoption. Hope this helps!! Let me know if I can help in any other way.Christy