Your Legal Solution Starts with a Call
Your Legal Solution Starts with a Call
Few legal processes are as joyful or as emotionally complex as adoption. It doesn’t matter if you’re welcoming a stepchild into your family, formalizing a parental bond that already exists, or expanding your family through private or agency adoption; you deserve a legal team that handles the process with care and clarity.
At Hand & Toker, LLC, we guide families through the New Jersey adoption process with both compassion and precision. From paperwork to court hearings, we’re here to ensure every step is handled correctly so you can focus on what matters most: building your family.
You can trust our team at Hand & Toker to advocate passionately for your family’s best interests with expertise and care.
Adoption is governed by a specific set of procedures in New Jersey. While each case is different, most adoptions involve the following steps:
We walk you through each step, keep you informed, and handle the legal details so that your focus stays where it should, on your growing family.
While many adoptions are joyful and smooth, others involve legal challenges—such as absent biological parents, contested rights, or multi-state legal coordination. We’re equipped to manage even the most complex cases with professionalism and discretion.
If you’re unsure how to move forward or are facing resistance, we’ll work to resolve issues efficiently while always keeping the child’s best interests at the center.
There’s no one way to form a family. We help clients navigate a wide range of adoption scenarios, including:
When a stepparent wants to legally adopt their spouse’s child, it often reflects a bond that’s already grown strong. The legal process can be relatively straightforward, especially if the noncustodial biological parent consents or is no longer in the picture. We help streamline the process and handle any consent or termination of parental rights issues that may arise.
Sometimes a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other relative steps up to care for a child when the biological parents are unable to do so. Formalizing that relationship through adoption can provide stability, legal authority, and peace of mind for everyone involved.
It doesn’t matter whether you're adopting an infant through an agency or navigating a private adoption arrangement; we ensure your rights are protected and that the process complies with New Jersey adoption laws. These cases can involve home studies, birth parent consent, background checks, and court appearances—all of which we manage on your behalf.
Yes, adults can be adopted too. This is often done to formalize a parent-child relationship that wasn’t legally recognized earlier in life, or for estate planning and inheritance purposes. We can help ensure everything is filed and approved correctly.
Adoption isn’t just a formality—it’s a legal transformation of a child’s identity and future. If not handled properly, paperwork issues, timing errors, or consent disputes can delay or jeopardize the process.
At Hand & Toker, we make sure everything is done right the first time. From gathering documentation to advocating in court, we’re with you every step of the way. Our goal is to make the legal side of adoption feel less overwhelming and more like the celebration it should be.
Adoption is an incredible act of love, commitment, and hope. Whether your path to parenthood is just beginning or you’re ready to finalize an existing bond, Hand & Toker, LLC is here to support you.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help make your adoption process smooth, secure, and successful.