THE HEARING- Update
Well, we're back from Guatemala, but there was another hearing on Tuesday while we were there.
At first we thought that we might be at the hearing, but our lawyer thought differently about it, as he wasn't quite sure what the judge might ask us, or what we might say.
We had to hand Maria over to the foster parents, and they had to take her to the hearing, so we didn't get to play with her much that day. Instead we went to a Mayan Textile Museum and ate lunch at a Mexican taco restaurant, where they slice pork (al pastor) off a rotisserie like a gyro.
At the end of the day, we found that the judge had agreed to allow pursuit of the abandonment proceedings. He also ruled that Maria could stay with the foster family. Allowing the abandonment means that the lawyers will use this process to separate the birth mother from her parental rights, and that those will transfer over to the state. And then, after that is done, we will begin adoption proceedings. Apparently allowing Maria to stay with the foster family is precedent setting, as children in the process usually are placed in state orphanages. So we are very happy with both of these rulings. We're looking into hiring a special abandonment lawyer to (somewhat) expedite this first process.
Don't know what this means for getting all this done, but it could be later summer or even in the fall. So we're happy that there is a more clearly defined path, but wish we can make it go faster.
Well, we're back from Guatemala, but there was another hearing on Tuesday while we were there.
At first we thought that we might be at the hearing, but our lawyer thought differently about it, as he wasn't quite sure what the judge might ask us, or what we might say.
We had to hand Maria over to the foster parents, and they had to take her to the hearing, so we didn't get to play with her much that day. Instead we went to a Mayan Textile Museum and ate lunch at a Mexican taco restaurant, where they slice pork (al pastor) off a rotisserie like a gyro.
At the end of the day, we found that the judge had agreed to allow pursuit of the abandonment proceedings. He also ruled that Maria could stay with the foster family. Allowing the abandonment means that the lawyers will use this process to separate the birth mother from her parental rights, and that those will transfer over to the state. And then, after that is done, we will begin adoption proceedings. Apparently allowing Maria to stay with the foster family is precedent setting, as children in the process usually are placed in state orphanages. So we are very happy with both of these rulings. We're looking into hiring a special abandonment lawyer to (somewhat) expedite this first process.
Don't know what this means for getting all this done, but it could be later summer or even in the fall. So we're happy that there is a more clearly defined path, but wish we can make it go faster.
posted by Maria Anne at 3:43 PM
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