Imagine the heartache of finally receiving the new born you had always hoped for. After possible years of trying to conceive and then going through the often emotionally taxing process of adoption, there is finally a baby that you can call your child. Days before you are schedule to receive your bundle of joy, you receive devastating news.

A private adoption agency in San Antonio recently closed without notifying local authorities or parents that had invested considerable time and money to adopt children through the agency. More than 30 hopeful parents, some of whom are Texas residents, now do not know whether they will ever get the children they thought they were adopting.

In addition to losing the hope of becoming parents, some of these people have paid substantial amounts of money to the San Antonio agency. One man and his wife, for example, paid the adoption agency over $34,000. Those people are uncertain whether they will get any of that money back.

Adoption can be a very fulfilling and wonderful experience for both the child and the parents. Prospective parents must, however, understand their rights and obligations throughout the adoption process. South Texas residents that are looking to adopt should talk to a family law expert about the state and federal regulations that govern adoption. Moreover, a lawyer that has experience with adoption will make sure to protect the adopting parents' rights. The families who went through the San Antonio agency are currently facing terrible uncertainties. Speaking with legal counsel can help Texans hoping to adopt children avoid these heart-wrenching situations.

Source: My SA, "Adoption agency closing stuns prospective parents," Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, April 10, 2012