Identified Adoption
Private Adoption with Legal Guidance You Can Trust
An identified adoption—sometimes called a private or independent adoption—occurs when birth parents and adoptive parents find each other directly, rather than through an agency.
This may happen through personal relationships, professional referrals, or mutual connections.
It can also occur when an adoptive family adopts a subsequently born sibling of a child they previously adopted.
Identified adoption allows families to take an active role—with legal guidance ensuring every step is ethical, lawful, and secure.
At The Cooley Law Firm, we guide both adoptive parents and birth parents from first connection through final decree, in full compliance with Nevada law.
What Is an Identified Adoption?
Under Nevada law, identified adoptions are governed by AB 227 (2025).
All adoptions—including private placements—must meet the same legal standards for consent, documentation, and court approval as agency adoptions.
In an Identified Adoption:
Birth parents and adoptive parents locate each other independently
A licensed child-placing agency provides required oversight
An attorney handles:
Termination of parental rights
Relinquishments and specific consents
The adoption itself
Adoptive parents file a Petition for Adoption after placement
Our role is to ensure the adoption is legally sound, ethically handled, and centered on the child’s best interest.
Our Role in Identified Adoptions
Attorney Shelly Booth Cooley guides families through every legal step.
We Assist With:
Preparing and filing the Petition for Adoption
Drafting Specific Consents and Relinquishments under AB 227
Coordinating with a licensed child-placing agency
Ensuring ICWA compliance, when applicable
Drafting the Decree of Adoption
Securing the amended birth certificate
We also provide independent legal representation for birth parents, ensuring decisions are informed, voluntary, and protected.
The Importance of Proper Consents
Nevada law requires strict compliance with consent and relinquishment rules.
Key Timing Rules:
A birth parent who gave birth may not sign a consent or relinquishment until at least 72 hours after birth
A non-birthing parent may sign before or after birth
Once signed, a Specific Consent or Relinquishment is irrevocable, except in limited statutory circumstances
We ensure every consent is properly drafted, executed, witnessed, and filed—protecting the adoption from future challenges.
How AB 227 Improved Identified Adoptions
AB 227 modernized Nevada adoption law to reflect how families are formed today.
AB 227:
Clarified requirements for specific consents and relinquishments
Distinguished identified adoptions from agency and close-family adoptions
Streamlined hearings and reports when proper consents are in place
Ensured inclusive, gender-neutral protections for all families
Shelly Booth Cooley was actively involved in the legislative process that shaped AB 227, offering clients unmatched insight into how the law is meant to work.
Why Families Choose Identified Adoption
Families often choose identified adoption for its flexibility and connection.
Benefits May Include:
Direct communication between birth and adoptive parents
Greater involvement in choosing the right match
Flexibility in ongoing contact or post-adoption relationships
Privacy and control within a legally protected process
With proper legal guidance, identified adoption can be transparent, respectful, and deeply affirming for everyone involved.
Why Choose The Cooley Law Firm
Comprehensive Adoption Experience
Representation in identified, agency, dependency, close-family, and confirmatory adoptions.
Legislative Leadership
Shelly Booth Cooley helped draft AB 227, Nevada’s most significant adoption reform in decades.
Balanced Representation
Guidance for adoptive parents and independent counsel for birth parents.
Child-Centered Advocacy
Every decision is guided by the child’s long-term well-being.
Building Families Through Trust and Law
Identified adoption begins with connection—and is completed through care, consent, and compliance with the law.
Whether you are an expectant parent making an adoption plan or a hopeful adoptive family ready to welcome a child, The Cooley Law Firm will ensure your adoption is handled with dignity, clarity, and respect.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Contact The Cooley Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Shelly Booth Cooley, a Las Vegas adoption attorney and Adoption & ART Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys.
Your adoption deserves care, protection, and peace of mind.
