#the very particular type if devotion that comes from the willingness to follow someone into hell or worse

[sapphorror]

[famouskittychild]

Cheeky Mandos - ...and we're off

(Sorry I had a terrible writer’s block in the past 6-ish weeks - I went from reading fanfiction and being inspired by other’s visions to “I’ll never be able to write anything like these and I’m useless” in a single day :( I’m getting back into the groove finally, so I’m hoping to post more soon.)

There will be 18+ content (in the coming chapters soon) so if you are a minor, please don't read further.

Also the characters will be quite open and relaxed about things like gender, attraction, sexual activities, relationships etc, so if you prefer your Din (and their partner) possessive and/or monogamous , this won’t be a good read for you!

***

This pairing is  Din Djarin x gn reader / tall reader.  I’m short (and cis and woman). There’s so many short (and female) reader stuff out there, I wanted to write for people on the other end of the “why is your height not normal” / "definitely female" spectrum. If I make mistakes or you have advice, or ideas you'd like to see, please tell me!

Word count: 4267

Summary: You’re an armourer and some shiny guy just showed up.

First full piece/chapter/course! In which people seem to catch things. Thoughts? Viruses? Dropped facts? Who knows!?? Also contains a dilettante’s attempt at space electronics and some barely-canon-reminiscent Mando world-building. Still no spiciness sorry, marinating is a long process :P

Rating: T for some mentions of heavier topics.

CW: Mentions of mandalorian history, playing somewhat loose with canon lore (as in, my SW knowledge is patchy. sorry.)

Author’s note: I tried to find more info but it seems like the mandalorian alphabet doesn’t have names for the individual letters so I used aurebesh (also I liked the little Dorn(e) meta in there). And sorry for the bad puns. They’ll keep coming.

Prologue

One - ...and we're off

***

You aren’t worried about taking a stranger on board, you’ve done that plenty of times before. You hope he’s willing to put in the effort himself, too, just as he promised at the assembly.

The stranger leaves behind his ship, saying a friend will come to pick it up together with whoever might want to join the cause. You spot him from the cockpit as he walks over with a repulsor pallet in tow. He stops for a moment when your droids surge past him, busy at their pre-flight tasks, before moving on towards the ramp.

All his baggage is a satchel at his hip and a small bag on his shoulder, and two large crates of weaponry. You put him up in the spare cabin, the one that had been Sal’ee’s, your former apprentice, before she went on to be a journeyman. He stands in the middle of the room, staring at the two cots on opposite sides of the room, the lockers, the fresher in the corner.

“All mine? Where will you sleep?”

You don’t understand the surprise in his voice.

“Over there” you show him, pointing at the cabin opposite from his. It’s much more lived in, some of the blankets and trinkets and pillows visible through it’s open door. “There’s a third cabin that I mostly use for storage but has more fold-up bunks in case I need to transport more people. That’s rare though.”

“Ohh.” He nods, then turns to look around his room again. “Okay. I thought all of these rooms were cargo space.”

You smile, and quickly think through your to-do list. You’ll have to rearrange your schedule somewhat but it’s not that big of a bother.

“Come on, I’ll show you around the ship.” Before he gets lost in its cavernous interiors, you might add - but you don’t. If his reaction to a separate cabin and his current ship - an old ARC170 - is any indication, he must be used to very cramped quarters.

***

Your trusty Brick, a beat-up YV 929, is armed to the teeth and ugly, just as you like it. The ship is a scavenged one, gutted from most of its original factory issue armaments, engines, and even wiring. It was perfect for your former master when she found it at a scrap heap: she wanted to rebuild it herself, deliberately piecemeal; panels sourced form here, engines from there, concealments added. She modified the inner workings of the engines so that the power lines could be redirected to a concealed forge.

That forge is your pride and the main reason you haven’t settled at a permanent place yourself. When your master retired from travelling, the ship passed to you, and you continued her mission of offering your knowledge and expertise to those of your people who otherwise had no access to an armourer.

…

The next standard month is spent with adjusting, both for yourself after getting used travelling alone again since Sal’ee left, and for the stranger who found himself a passenger on someone else’s ship. Apparently he used to live a very similar life to yours, with the exception that he was a hunter not a craftsman.

You travel together, share meals, research the places you are directed to. He joins in the effort that is maintaining the ship. Still - he is very taciturn at the beginning, keeping his words to the bare minimum. The first few days it feels as if you are still on your own aside of your droids. By the middle of the month, he progresses from short answers, through sharing information, to willingly starting to tell stories; but you know that chatting will never be his defining feature.

His armour seems to fill the spaces of the Brick’s corridors. You feel as if it’s not him who has the presence, but that set of glinting, perfectly made handwork of an armourer you already admire. Some of the pieces were sourced elsewhere, you can tell by the different shapes and designs; they seem haphazard and mismatched compared to the rest. Most of the set is the work of a single person. On those, there’s not a single uneven line, a broken curve, an edge at the wrong place. The angle of the panes of the metal, the ridges, the simplicity and elegance of them all - you have to hold yourself back from touching them, to admire them. You would give a lot to hold those pieces in your hand, to study them, to analyse them with your eyes and hands and with your tools.

You’re a master, yes. But so much knowledge was lost. So many masters gone, with their knowledge and their workshops. Apprentices became heads of Forges in the absence of the more skilled. The survivors still to this day have to piece together half-remembered lessons and forgotten details, experiment with techniques that were known before but the methods got lost as decades of civil war and occupation and murder kept eroding your heritage.

Sometimes a set of armour comes along that is just made in a way you never had an opportunity to learn. Often the person who forged them is long gone. Not the stranger’s armourer though. As far you can tell, she’s alive. Or at least was, when he last saw her. Not too long ago; though your usual method for guessing forging dates is mostly useless as it is based on the condition of the suit’s paintwork. Which he doesn’t have, so you can only guess from the small amount of scratches. You try to ask once, but whilst he’s forthcoming with general stories, he doesn’t go into details.

It’s a common theme with him. He talks about people and planets and events, and leaves out a lot - and you don’t even notice it first. Only when you try to glean information about his armour do you realize how well he fuzzes over those facts and nuances. It’s only up to the peculiarities of Basic and its use of gendered pronouns that you know his Armourer is a woman, or at least he considers them so. He doesn’t even tells you his own name, and when you ask your Elder in one of your communications, she tells you he didn’t gave it to them either. You keep introducing him as a friend, and that is the end of it for a while.

***

The visits to this first few coverts with him are… interesting. You can see him fidgeting from the corner of your eye. He always follows half a step behind and off to a side, as if not wanting to be in your way. He keeps quiet and doesn’t mix much, and around small children and droids, he is positively withdrawn. He only comes alive when he talks about his mission.

You had learned early on during your apprenticeship that keeping the helmet on is a safe bet when meeting with unfamiliar mandalorians. That led to later getting in contact with his type of believers too, despite their notorious secrecy even from the rest of the People. When you tell the stranger about that, he immediately showers you with questions, but you can’t give an answer to most of them. You never met with anyone from his particular covert, or heard of it. No name, no description seems familiar. It’s painful to watch his shoulders slump after daring to hope.

During the course of the month spent travelling, he gradually comes to be more social. He starts to stand and walk beside you. He doesn’t withdraw to the background anymore; he can actually be quite chatty if approached the right way. Droids still make him stop, though he warms up to kids in his own way. He’s good with them, at least in your opinion, though you know some would still call him aloof and distant. He isn’t a cuddler, nor does he crouch down to ask cutesy questions. He juts sits nearby them, and in that way of children having a good sense about adults, they know he’s trustworthy. They go up to him to chatter, to hand him a toy to hold, to ask him to fix a latch on their boots; than they go back to play.

He teaches you too, inadvertently at first during everyday conversations and later by his own volition, about his Way. About his Creed. It keeps throwing you off how much it differs from most that you had met before. Not even meeting briefly with people who followed the same Way as him could prepare you for the details that he does share. The degree of strictness, the loyalty, the barest bones Old Tradition beliefs and their willingness to follow them is very rare amongst the People as far as you can tell. Their devotion earns your respect.

At other times, your jaw hangs open and you can’t believe you are talking to an adult roughly around the same age as yourself, who by his own admission had spent three decades living as a follower of the Creed - not knowing about things children are thought through plays and songtime. His ignorance is so staggering, your admiration towards his unknown Armourer wavers. How could she keep so many things hidden from them? Why not talk about your own history? Your greats? Your artefacts?

About the many other who would call them vod’e, siblings?

You are an armourer, a craftsman, a person who makes a living by making things with your hand. You’re not a leader, or a scholar, or someone who decides what to tell your people. You do have a status within the community, but that is a status of service. From what the stranger says, their Armourer was a leader in every aspect: elder and lorekeeper and moral guide and more. All in one. It is something you can see developing from the old songs and histories amongst groups who take tradition more literally.

You are good at observing people, even at copying their habits to make them feel more comfortable with you, but less good at determining their underlying motives. The reason you think of him as “the stranger” even after travelling with him is because it’s so hard to figure out what drives him. There’s a melancholy to him that overrides the more typical mandalorian fight-readiness or aggression. You see how he gazes off to the distance sometimes, turning his head to the side and freezing. How he keeps to himself when he can. But you can’t tell why. Grief? Regrets? Determination to change? Planning something greater and being preoccupied with that?

He doesn’t pick fights to test you. He spars with you when you invite him to, he helps when you ask, and often even without it. He’s polite and considerate; he keeps conversation to practicalities and interesting stories, and doesn’t bother you with anecdotes or insistent questions about trivialities or your private life. He even does the dishes.

He’s deadly boring in his reliableness.

You are used to being on your toes around people all the time. When you meet a new group, it’s all unknown people. With ones you had already visited, the problem is having to remember them. They remember you of course, the ‘wandering armourer’; and surely you remember them too.

What is worse, when people stay the same but you don’t remember them, or when they change and you just can’t place them?

He becomes a good excuse after you’ve been to several coverts together. It’s interesting to notice how your dynamics change even further once you two get into a comfortable routine. You start to retreat to your forge and tools, and let him take all the attention. And he doesn’t just talk about his mission anymore, or lets little ones play around him whilst he’s quiet. He converses with people about news, about their children, about weaponry. You have more time to focus on your work.

Sometimes, people ask you what do you think of his mission. You tell them that you will follow what your clan decides, and that’s mostly true. It is something people don’t often debate, at least.

He quickly becomes a part of your everyday life. You are content with your usually solitary travels. You know that your family, your clan and your friends wait for you at home. They message you and you can find the time that suits you to message back. You don’t miss the constant hubbub of the covert most of the time. But now that you have someone that is not a droid, someone who is your equal in every aspect, on board again, it’s not even lonely anymore.

***

“So what’s up with you and droids?” you ask one day, after you got back from a covert and are safely in hyperspace to the next destination. You tinker with your astromech’s navigational systems. Poor 2-T keeps bumping into walls and crates. Again.

The stranger looks at you and your droid, than over at Mouse who for a change isn’t zooming around at foot level.

“Bad memories.”

“Gunk sat on you?” You tease. You hope it’s just something silly and not him having some sort of snobbish organics-are-better philosophy. He is quiet, and you focus on your work. He’ll talk if he wants to, that much you know already about him.

Inside the body of your astromech, a rivet from stars knows where is stuck between two circuit boards and blocks the access to a short-circuited piece of wire.

“Kriff. Toots, this will take a while, sweetie. Can’t access that kriffing panel.” He chirps back something and you read the translation on the small display. “No, it’s not that. My hand can’t fit in that small space. Let me find those pliers… should be in that other drawer somewhere.”

You search in the chest of tools, and despite your usually good organization, you can’t find them amongst the droids’ tools where their place is.

“Let me help.” The stranger’s voice beside you makes you jump. He can be awfully quiet. “Sorry. I think I might’ve put them back into the wrong drawer. I used them the other day when I fine-tuned that scope.”

He points at another drawer, where you keep your fine electronics stuff. No wonder he mixed them up. He stands beside Tootee a bit awkwardly until you find the tool.

“Here! No problem by the way. “ You turn back to him and to the droid, than have an idea. “Do you mind a bit more help? You can say no if you don’t want to work with the droid, I’ll understand.”

He doesn’t object yet, so you go back to 2-T and show the stranger the area you’re working on. You see him lean closer in your peripheral vision.

“That’s where I need to get that burned piece of wire out and install a new one, but first, I need to get that rivet out of the way.” You point at the root of the problem, than explain your plan, pointing out each part in turn. ”If you could hold those using this, than I could get here, remove this, with that tool, than have to get those bundles out of the way too, so than that wire there could come out. Easy.”

You look up at him, and his helmet is way closer than you expected. You can almost see your reflection in that black visor as it stares back at you for a second, and you almost apologize again, when the stranger starts to speak.

“Just have to hold the wires to the casing, or pull them like…” he moves his hand in the air, showing what he means.

“Hold them to that panel, there, with the pliers, so I have room to access the rest.”

He thinks for a moment, than he starts to tug one of his gloves off.

“You don’t need to take that off, just hold the pliers” you tell him, but he shakes his head.

“No, I can fit my hand in there, I’m pretty sure. If not we can try it with the tool.”

You realize that this is the first time you see his skin. Than it occurs to you that he might very well misunderstand this whole situation. You just asked him to hang his hand inches from yours in an enclosed space; inside a droid nonetheless, just after you basically told him you noticed he has a problem with them. It would be so easy to get caught up in there, to touch his hand, and hush it up as coincidence. Especially now that he took his glove off as well. He might even think that it was a careful plan of yours: have an area to work with were your slightly larger hands don’t fit but his might.

Your fingertips already tingle from knowing you can’t make mistakes. Which means you’ll probably do. He reaches between the panels and gets to the part where you got stuck. He wiggles his fingers a bit and scrapes around.

“Ha, found some wires. Are these the ones you need out of the way?”

You peer down into the quagmire of electronics, trying to find the best angle to see everything.

“Yes, those are the ones. Just hold them like that.” You try to focus on what you are doing, but after those earlier thoughts, your hands are jittery. You somehow manage to remove the obstructing rivet, than find the burned out part and replace it without accident, the stranger patiently holding things out of your way. You direct him here and there, occasionally stumbling as it’s a lot of instructions, or at least a lot of “could you please” and “thank you”. It gets particularly awkward when you stumble over the lack of name spectacularly.

“Could you pull those the other way, so they aren't that taut, please? Thank you, you. I mean thank you.”

“Din. Din Djarin.” Your head snaps up while the rest of your body freezes. “I should have told you my name sooner, but I’m so used to not telling it… and it just became more awkward to bring it up as time passed. I apologize.”

You close your mouth that of course was hanging open in surprise, than shake your head.

“I thought at first that I missed it when you said it so I was ashamed that I didn’t remember.” That did happen before, and it was one of your greatest worries about meeting new people. “I actually asked my elder. Sent her a comm. So when she told me you went nameless, I didn’t wanted to demand it.”

He doesn't answer right away. His voice is softer when he speaks a bit later.

“Thank you. For being considerate.”

You smile and try to wave it off. Which results in your hand slipping and pawing at his, still motionless and stuck in the inside of the astromech.

“Oh shucks, I’m sorry… didn’t meant to.” You withdraw your hand quickly, and start to look for your tools to cover your mistake.

He doesn’t seem bothered, luckily. You calm down, reminding yourself not to behave like you drank one too many glasses of your cousin Ree’s home-made tihaar, and finish the repair.

“You can let those go now, I’ll finish from here. Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome, any time.”

He sits back on a nearby crate and watches you work for a while, ignoring Mouse zooming around the room. You’re surprised a bit: you didn't expected him to stick around. And than he starts to ask about 2-T. How long you had him, is he temperamental, can you install a vocoder on astromechs, and why not. His tone is somewhat cautious, his voice stiff, like someone asking about a dangerous predator. You remember how you asked him about his distance with droids, but don’t want to push that question. He already told you his name today.

…

By the time you finish with the rest of the repairs, clean Tootee up and tidy around your workplace, interrupted by having to leave hyperspace and land at a spaceport, it’s the middle of the night in local time. You planned to have a nap and search out the local covert just before dawn.

You go to the galley to have a bite before turning in, and the stranger - Din, you remember, although his last name is less clear - is cleaning up some dishes. There’s another bowl in the middle of the small table, covered by a plate.

“That’s for you, if you’d like to have it. Used up the last of that spice mix we got” he tells you as you enter. You sit down and stretch your legs out one side. As you take the plate off from the steaming bowl, you think about how nice it is to find warm food on the table and not having to cook your own all the time.

“Thank you.” You pull the bowl close and take the spoon that he put beside it. You swirl the soup - it looks very good: clear broth with lots of veggies and other fillers in it - and gather your thoughts. “So ummm… I want to ask something before it gets awkward again.“

He finishes piling the bowls and cups and sits down on the seat opposite. You blurt the question out before you might change your mind.

“What was your name again? Din, that was clear, but the rest… sorry but it sounded something like “jarring”?”

He chuckles, and it’s a clear sound even with a vocoder, no snort or sigh to distort it.

“It’s Djarin. Dorn-jenth-aurek-resh-isk-nern. Djarin.” You nod, a bit embarrassed, and he continues. “Don’t worry, you aren't the first to ask. Probably not the last either.”

“Thanks for being patient. I’m not the best with names, to be honest.”

He tilts his head.

“Is that why you are always so focused when someone introduces themselves? I can ask them to repeat their names for me too if you want to, than both of us can try to remember them.”

You blink at him.

“That’d be…” Unnecessary, and don’t bother, and it’s not your job, you think - but stop yourself. That would actually help. No shame in accepting it. ”That would be nice. Thanks.” You are good at a few things, like making things with your own two hands. Not gaping when something surprises you, or remembering faces or names, any names, not just people? Nah.

You tuck into your soup, and the two of you sit in companionable silence. You wander if Djarin sits there because he wants to, or if he’s waiting for more questions from you. You asked a lot from him during the last few hours, and he was really kind with all his help and telling you his name and not being bothered when you misremembered it.

You are halfway done with your meal when he stirs. He leans forward with his lower arms on the table, and takes a deep breath. You wonder what his question will be - you commit to answer whatever it might be. He deserves that after today.

“So you asked earlier about me and… droids, right?”

Your hand with the spoon stops in the air. You weren’t expecting this question, at all.

“Yes…” You want to say he didn’t have to answer. But you already told him that. You’re sure he remembers that too - since he brought the topic up again. “Yes, I did.”

He shuffles on his seat a bit, and looks out to the side like he sometimes does. You lower your spoon and eat, letting him gather his thoughts.

“When I was a kid… I don’t know how old you were then, but during the war. The Clone wars.” You nod, understanding what he’s getting at, and he continues. “We were… the place I lived came under attack. Some separatist battle droids. Mandalorians saved me.”

You swallow your soup. That was the shortest possible description of someone having their entire life and probably everyone they knew ripped away from them and finding a new way of life for the decades to come.

“I’m sorry” you say, because really, what else is there to say. He nods, and gazes off again. Than he shrugs his shoulders, as if he wants to shake the weight of the past from them.

He gets up, and walks around the table on his way out. He stops beside you for a moment and hesitates, and you almost turn towards him to ask what he needs when you feel him squeeze your shoulder. Than he straightens and steps away.

It’s warm where he squeezed it, and you remember how long ago it was that someone touched you.

You need to talk to your friends asap, and hug at least some of them. He turns back from the door.

“Get some sleep before dawn, all right? Have to be sharp to remember all those new names.” You don’t see him wink but you’d bet he does behind his visor. You scrunch your nose at him and pout before smiling, and he dips out of the galley.

Your hand is still hovering in the air, holding the spoon, while you listen to his footsteps getting more distant as he walks down the corridor to his cabin.

It’s just your luck that you don’t need your wits the next place. It’s only two people with the same, simple name and you met both of them before.

[five-miles-over]

Why I Think ‘Gladiator’’s Commodus is a Better Character than Maximus

(Disclaimer: this schpiel is not intended to offend anyone, or any group of people. This is just a personal opinion I have based on the characters of the film, Gladiator. This has nothing to do with the historical Commodus. If you happen to disagree with some of the ideas here or might like to add on, I’m always happy to hear it. I welcome constructive criticism! Also SPOILER ALERT!!!)

So, without further ado...here are some of the reasons why I think Commodus is a better character than Maximus. 

Tag list: @beautifulyoungprospect @captain-el-writes @jokerflecker @cruellytearful @dreamingmaria @cherrymoon75​

(Note: When I talk about being a “strong character”, I don’t necessarily mean physical strength (I think I’ll leave that to your imaginations.) I think of strength as in emotional endurance and resilience combined with inherent good qualities present in both men. In addition, I factored in the ability to ‘win over’ the audience.)

1) Commodus is Self-Motivated

For this, I’d look no further than the scene in the first few moments of Gladiator, where Maximus checks on his camp and finds Commodus practicing with his sword. Aside from a little fanservice, I think this scene gives insight onto one of the ways Commodus acts upon his ambition. We (the audience) don’t see his father standing nearby or telling him to practice, thereby we can assume Commodus creates his own practice sessions. 

And by the looks of his fighting (I’ve only tried fencing for a few weeks so pardon my ignorance), Commodus looks like he is actually interested in perfecting his performance. He genuinely wants to be a good fighter, knowing how important it would be in the future.

Compared to Commodus, Maximus constantly needs other people to stir him into action - be it his wife and son, Proximo, or Lucilla and the senators. Even when he’s put in the gladiatorial area, Maximus initially refuses to fight and has to be goaded. This is possibly the consequence of being surrounded by people all his life - he constantly needs somebody else to be the catalyst for his actions. 

Commodus on the other hand knew he had to rely on none other but himself in order to get his things done. 

2) He knows himself....and he stands up for himself

“You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues. Wisdom, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. As I read the list I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, father. Ambition, that can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness. Courage. Perhaps not on the battlefield but there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family, to you. But none of my virtues were on your list.” 

For the record, ambition is a virtue when it drives us to excel. And in my opinion, it is a quality that Maximus lacks. I would rather trust a ruler like Commodus who had a clear vision of everything he wanted from his time on the throne, as opposed to someone simply thrusted the power of the empire with no intent (or possible idea) on how to rule. 

The ability of Commodus to advocate for his own virtues makes him look better than someone like Maximus, who constantly needs someone to remind him of his abilities. While someone could call Maximus ‘humble’ for refusing to brag about himself, it is Commodus’s ability to fight for his rights that enables him to fulfill his lifelong ambition.

And it is only when Maximus decides to stand up instead of letting someone else control his life that he is finally able to get his revenge. By deciding to win the crowd using his ‘mercy’ and ‘defiance of killing’, Maximus is able to get closer to winning over Commodus.

Moreover, Commodus’s ability to fight relentlessly to get what (he believes) he deserves is something desirable in today’s day and age. People like someone who knows what they have to offer, and isn’t afraid to use their talents to get what they want.

3) He appears to have learnt from his father on how not to raise a child

When it comes to being a father-figure, he appears to have learnt some of the things what not to do based on his experience with Marcus Aurelius. For proof of this, watch how he interacts with his nephew, Lucius. He plays with Lucius, reads to him, and encourages him. (”A gladiator? A gladiator fights only for the games. Wouldn’t you rather be a great Roman warrior like Julius Caesar?”) 

He never actively neglects him or berates him, like his father did. Most of all, once he finds out that Lucilla was conspiring against him, he made sure never to speak ill about her in front of Lucius. (Proof: the “busy little bee” monologue) Commodus wanted Lucius to have a mother he could respect, and he also knew when to separate politics from his family life. 

(Also, side note to Lucilla and the conspiring Senators: don’t you all know better than to get an innocent child involved in political schemes that could endanger him? All he had to do was shout, “Maximus, the savior of Rome!” in front of Commodus.)

4) He wasn’t afraid to call out the Senate on their bullsh*t

“I doubt many of the people eat so well as you, Gracchus. Or have so such splendid mistresses as you, Gaius.” 

Let me start with this: I admire sassiness in all its glory. And with Commodus particularly, I like the fact that he used witty retorts as a way to establish his authority in a room. It was the perfect, non-verbal method of saying ‘don’t mess with me’.

The Senate was elected to represent the Roman public, the majority of whom certainly did not fall into the aristocratic class of the Senators. 

Commodus actually had a point when he stated this flaw- throughout the film, the Senate never really did anything to help Rome. All they cared about was gossiping about Commodus’s spending habits and plotting his assassination. Honestly, I would’ve ordered the Senate to be temporarily dismissed until those guys got their act together. The Senators needed to realize that they were elected to represent the people, not their own individual interests. 

5) He shows instances of having excellent knowledge on being an emperor

For this point, I’m going to use the (deleted?) scene in which Commodus has two of his soldiers executed for lying about Maximus’s escape. 

Many viewers use this scene as a way to emphasize how cruel of an emperor Commodus seemed to be. On the contrary, Commodus shows what an emperor is supposed to do. 

To a ruler, lying is one of highest sins ever. Commodus himself explained it quite clearly in the film. “If they lie to me, they don’t respect me. If they don’t respect me, how can they ever love me?” The other point Commodus didn’t mention is, what’s the likelihood they won’t do it again? If a liar is allowed to go free, that makes the Emperor more vulnerable to further betrayal. So, to take no further chances, execution would be the correct punishment. 

On another note, public execution is by far one of the greatest ways of establishing authority by intimidation. It was the one way Commodus could tell the entire kingdom what happens to people who lie to the emperor. 

Most emperors, fictional and historical, would’ve seen this logic and followed suit during their own instances of betrayal.

Another instance is his organization of the gladiatorial games. His willingness to empathize with this particular aspect of the Roman people made him well liked among citizens - the very same citizens he is supposed to rule over as an Emperor.

6) Commodus had no allies throughout his reign...and still lived with his head held high

Being Marcus Aurelius’s only son may have gotten him the throne, but staying on the throne was all Commodus’s effort. 

This guy had no allies throughout the entire film, no ‘personal cheerleader’ to encourage him. In fact he had the total opposite. He’s been criticized and belittled all his life, while Maximus was praised all the time - even as an emperor, Commodus was belittled by every one of the Senators. They never took him seriously or even considered Commodus’s ideas to be good in any way. 

In fact, it would be plausible to say that Commodus was also his own enemy at times - fighting his conflicting urges, trying to create an identity for History to remember him by. (Should he be Commodus the Invincible or Commodus the Merciful?)

Nevertheless, he still keeps his head held high at the end of the day - never once do we see him attempt to give up the throne or drown himself in vices (like women, gambling, etc.) to try to escape from his duty as Emperor. He never lost his determination to be the best Emperor he could be. 

7) Your Hero is Only as Good as Your Villain Is

This is by far one of the most interesting parts about stories involving a Hero’s Journey archetype. Based on the types of things the villain metaphorically “throws” in the hero’s way, audience members get to see the hero’s adaptability and even the depth, or the extent, to which the hero is truly heroic (or not). 

(Side note: this gif is freaking adorable. He looks like a (big) little boy enjoying himself. I once watched this on loop for a solid five minutes.)

In Gladiator, Commodus is someone that many love to hate, but also many love to sympathize. Commodus’s desires to be a successful (and popular!) Emperor and a devoted son are things people see within themselves as well. This complex mixture results in a character that needed something as unforgivable as patricide or incestuous-looking actions in order for the filmmakers to tell the audience, “You are not supposed to be cheering for him. You’re supposed to cheer for the vanilla, goody-two-shoes guy.” 

However, with the amount of things Commodus does to seem relatable or even likable by the audience, Maximus is expected to do more or show more heroism and charisma to be really considered the ‘good guy’ of this story. It’s something that each and every viewer decides for themselves.

8) Commodus is more attractive than Maximus

Now, this is not a comparison between Joaquin Phoenix’s and Russel Crowe’s looks- I think “People” magazine can do a better job of this than me. 

(My ex-friends fawn over Maximus, I’ve found friends that think Commodus is more gorgeous...the feud never ends, folks.)

Commodus is definitely more charismatic, offering plenty more for the attentive audience member to dissect in his personality. His actions and emotions attract viewers into asking questions and even creating their own theories to understand what makes him tick. 

Maximus, on the other hand, offers nothing of that sort. His profile ends at just, “loves his family, wants to do the right thing.” This is the main reason I call his character ‘boring’ - he brings no element of mystery. With him, what you see is pretty much what you get.

So there you have it, everyone. This is why I personally appreciate Commodus as a character more than Maximus.  Sorry I made this super long; I really like analyzing movie characters. I hope you liked reading this and I would love to hear your opinions. Feel free to comment or message me directly.

[shireness-says]

Not All That (But Has Potential)

Summary: It's not love at first sight, far from it. But there's something about Killian Jones that has potential...

Rated M for smut-adjacent stuff. Really. Also on AO3.

A/N Happy birthday, @distant-rose! I wrote this based on a conversation we had last week. I hope you like it!

Thanks to @snidgetsafan for beta duties.

Let me know what you all think! This is definitely the most suggestive thing I’ve ever written, so please, be kind to my prudish midwestern heart.

It’s not love at first sight, at least not for Emma. Far from it.

When Emma first spots Killian Jones across the bar, she’s not impressed. He’s kind of… bland isn’t quite the word. She can admit that he’s objectively attractive with his dark hair and fit body, though she prefers her men a bit taller. Still, there’s something about him that’s so… studied. He looks like he spends more money on hair product than she does, and Emma’s pretty sure she saw that hairstyle in a celebrity gossip magazine. The actor wore it better.

Any chance he might have had is dashed away when he spots her. Emma could maybe forgive that thing he did with his tongue as proof of his interest in her, but the way he swaggers over - swaggers! - kind of ruins things. Emma can tell right then that he’s the kind of man with an ego the size of a bus, far too wrapped up in himself to show her anything close to a good time. She’d bet money on it.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he drawls, leaning against the bar. “I’ve been waiting for someone like you all night.”

“Well tough shit, buddy,” she shoots right back with a sickly sweet smile. Emma’s learned over the years that that really off throws guys like him. Thankfully, the bartender slides her drink across the counter just then, and Emma’s able to walk away with a smirk.

In her opinion, it’s no more than he deserves.

———

Killian is smitten the moment he sees Emma Swan across the bar.

(Ok, maybe smitten isn’t quite the right word; somehow, that seems to suggest a deeper emotional attachment, and his thought process had mostly been fuck, she’s gorgeous.)

He doesn’t think he should be blamed for that, however. She’s got waves of perfectly tousled blonde hair, piercing green eyes and a body to kill for, the sight of her leaning against the bar in just the right way to emphasize her glorious arse enough to send arousal running through his veins. Gods above, she’s a sight, and he wants nothing more than to get to know her up close and personal, so to speak.

A man with half an ounce of sense in his head would be put off by such a brush-off as he’s treated to, but for better or for worse, Killian is not that man. There’s something that calls to him about that fierceness she bites back with, something that wants more of that harsh medicine.

It becomes almost like a game. He’ll toss little salacious comments her way, and she’ll return with a biting response. As time goes by and they see each other more frequently - the bar is right around the corner from his new apartment, it’s nothing to do with how incredibly enchanted he is by emerald eyes and that one particular smile she wears when she has the upper hand - he’s able to coax her into games of pool or darts. He loses most of the time, distracted by the previously mentioned fantastic arse, but that’s a small price to pay for her company.

———

Killian Jones is still a damn cocky bastard, but he’s always up for a round of verbal sparring or a game of pool - even if it is embarrassingly easy to distract him just by bending over the table in a way that flatters her assets - so she tolerates his presence. Mostly because it’s really fun to beat him.

There’s a spark there, she’ll admit. Killian’s made his interest in her very obvious, with his constant stream of flirting and innuendo, but as much as he irritates her, Emma still finds herself wondering what it would be like, if she let him fulfill all those promises. She’ll never act on it though; separation of bar and lovelife, or whatever.

Until one fateful night in June.

It’d been a complete coincidence that a skip wandered into the bar. Emma had been taunting Jones at the pool table again, ready to take him for everything he had (or at least that drink he promised her) when Arthur King sauntered right on in. It’s a stroke of luck that Emma had come straight from work with her cuffs still in her bag.

He runs, of course - must spot her coming with the handcuffs, because as soon as Emma calls out his name, he’s off like a shot. The crowd in the bar slows him down somewhat, but it hinders Emma too, and she bursts through the door still slightly behind him. She’s in better shape than her quarry, however, and is able to put on another burst of speed that’s just enough to catch up to him at the mouth of the bar’s side alley and tackle him to the pavement.

“Need a hand, Swan?” Killian calls from behind her as she cuffs King, straddling the bastard’s back to keep him down with her weight. She’s probably a sight, if the tone of his voice is anything to go off of, but who the fuck cares. She’s gonna do what she’s gotta do.

“Nope, I got it,” she calls back. Someone must have called the police inside because they arrive only a couple of minutes later to haul him off and arrange for her to come by the station in the morning to deal with paperwork, before leaving her alone again with Jones and the night.

She doesn’t know why she does it. If asked later, she’ll blame excess adrenaline from the takedown that spurs her on. But when Killian makes a comment about how women with handcuffs make his blood run hot, the smirk she gives him this time is more provocative than mocking.

“You want to do something about that?”

“Do I want to —” Killian starts, clearly flabbergasted, but Emma’s done with talking and drags him down into a hungry kiss, sucking his lip into her mouth without any preamble. To his credit, Killian catches up quickly, yanking her body as close as possible against his own and eagerly returning the kiss. Somehow, she ends up backed into the brick alley wall and grateful for the support. He’s one hell of a kisser, though a little too preoccupied with her ass - figures. She doesn’t dislike the way his hands are grabbing at her cheeks through her jeans - it brings her core closer to his erection as it presses behind his own jeans, and she’s all about that friction - but it’s not doing it for her quite the way she wants. Abruptly, she grabs one of those hands and redirects it to her breast where she can feel her nipple straining for attention beneath her bra. He’s a quick learner, she’ll give him that; he paws at her breast in the same way he did her ass, but the rough kneading is much more to her liking when directed further north.

A not-insignificant part of her wants to let him get her off right here - with his fingers, with his cock, she’s not picky - but they are in public, and she doesn’t even want to think about how filthy this alley is. Reluctantly, she pulls Killian away from where he’s doing his best to suck a hickey where her neck and shoulder meet.

“You got a place?” she asks breathlessly.

He nods quickly, almost eagerly. “Just around the corner.”

Pushing gently at his shoulders, Emma extracts herself from where she’d been (willingly) caged against the wall. Apparently at some point, her leg had come up to wrap around his waist; she doesn’t even remember doing so. “Then lead on.”

———

They barely make it inside, practically jogging back to Killian’s apartment in their haste to get back to the main event. Emma faintly registers that he’s got a studio-type set-up, everything but the bathroom in one wide-open space, but she’s far too concerned with trying to peel off Killian’s t-shirt and shuck her boots to pay it more than a passing glance. All that really matters is the location of the bed, after all.

Emma learns just how much of a talker Jones is that night. “God, you’re gorgeous,” he mutters as she falls onto the mattress with enough force to bounce. “Never seen anything so sexy as that tackle,” he declares against her collarbone. “Gonna make you feel so good, love, make you beg, make you call my name,” he vows against her right breast, where he’d been biting and sucking at the nipple only moments before.

Emma’s had enough of all that talk, though. “Shut up, shut up, shut up,” she mutters, chants as she pushes his head down, down, down to where that tongue might be put to better use. She may not be begging, but if the wetness collecting in her folds is any indication, her equipment didn’t quite get the same memo.

Her efforts don’t quite work, as Killian flashes her a grin on the way down. “As you wish,” he winks, before devoting the full and prompt attention of his tongue to her clit.

(After that… well, he might still be saying things, but as long as he keeps doing that, she doesn’t care.)

He’s not the biggest she’s had - thank you, anonymous New Year’s 2016 hookup for that honor - nor is he the best sex of her life, but there’s an eagerness to please about the whole affair that suits Emma just fine. He’s determined to get her off, first with his mouth and then with his cock (and his fingers for assistance when it becomes obvious that she’s not going to come from the penetration alone). There’s potential there, she thinks, a willingness to learn and follow her demands, which is more than she can say for most of her one-night-stands. He hadn’t gotten all huffy about his prowess when she’d had to drop her hand down to work her clit while he thrust into her, that perfect angle just out of reach, simply batted her hand out of the way and took over himself like it was a matter of honor. And hey, she’s all for that kind of honor if it means she gets to come.

Still, she barely waits until she’s caught her breath and the sweat is still cooling on their skin before she’s up again, redressing to leave.

“Just a one time thing,” Emma tells him as she wiggles into her jeans, boobs still hanging loose before she hunts down her bra. Points to Jones for not trying to tear through her underwear, at least.

“Whatever you want love,” he promises.

Emma’s not sure what she wants, but she’s pretty sure it’s not a second round. Pretty sure. She only does one night, after all, and Killian annoys her anyways.

———

It’s not a one time thing.

Killian is more than okay with that; their first encounter had been phenomenal for him. He thinks it might not have been quite as good for her, but he’s more than willing to fix that - he’s always liked a woman who knows what she wants in bed, and Emma Swan certainly does. He would have respected her desire to keep it as a one night stand and satisfied himself with memories of their tryst in moments of self-pleasure in the weeks following, but he likes it much better when she storms into the bar with fire in her eyes a month later, looking for release. Her skip had gotten away and she’s filled with an excess of adrenaline and frustration, which maybe isn’t the best reason to take someone to bed, but Killian is still happy to oblige. He brings her to climax with his fingers in a storage closet, her back pressed against the door and his teeth worrying at her collarbone, before he takes her back to his place for round two.

(She returns the favor the next week by sucking him off in that same closet, an encounter that will live in his memory for a very long time, thank you very much.)

A part of Killian wonders what it would be like if they were to take this further, explore what more their relationship could be beyond waning antagonism and mind-blowing sex, but for the moment, he’s more than happy with their arrangement. They meet at the bar a couple times a week (oh, how he’d love to bend her over that counter and fuck her senseless, arse thrust out just the way it was the first time he saw her, though he can’t imagine the bar’s proprietress would approve), sometimes to talk or play pool, sometimes to leave immediately and engage in more enjoyable activities. Killian enjoys the company regardless, but really - there’s something to be said for the wonderful things Swan can do with her body.

If that’s all they ever have, he’s still more than happy with that.

———

Emma hates to admit it, but Killian Jones might not be as bad as she thought.

It’s probably due to the increased proximity - God, she’s picking up his fucking vocabulary, isn’t she? - but there are certain things about him that are almost endearing. Like the fact he apparently volunteers at the local library, or that one time he’d cancelled on a night they planned to meet up because his younger half-brother had a choir concert. He’s… sweet, sometimes. Don’t mistake her, he’s still a cocky son-of-a-bitch most of the time, but he has his moments.

It’s more concerning to realize how much time they spend together - fucking or not. If they’ve had sex, Emma never lingers afterwards, but the same rules don’t apply when they’re just meeting at the bar to drink and let off some steam, her from her work in bail bonds, him from his job in publishing and a meddlesome older brother. Emma’s got a handful of other friends in the city, but there’s something about the dynamic that she shares with Jones that makes her feel free enough to let loose without feeling pressured to find the bright side or reveal more than she wants to. In fact, she’s a little concerned to realize that most nights, she’d rather talk to Killian than anyone else.

(And yes, going back to his place and fucking each other’s brains out afterwards. So sue her.)

It all comes to an unexpected head, no pun intended, after a particularly satisfying round. Killian has long since found that spot, that perfect spot, which elevates their sex to fan-fucking-tastic in Emma’s mind, but he’d been more than happy to let her take control that night, and she’d driven them both to climax atop him before collapsing and moving to her customary spot on the right side of his bed. The first breezes of fall are nipping outside, bringing a new chill to the air, and it’s hard to convince herself to leave for once.

“I don’t want to go,” she groans, flinging a hand across Killian’s chest.

“I mean, you don’t have to,” he offers. Something about his tone seems guarded, making Emma wonder if he’d like that more than he’s letting on.

“Yeah but if I do, this becomes a thing,” Emma explains, twisting the same hand in a circle for emphasis.

Killian abruptly flips onto his side to face her, dislodging her arm in the process. “Would that be so bad?”

“No, but are you ready for this to become… something?”

He jerks his shoulder in a half shrug. “I feel like there’s something here. I’m more than happy with our arrangement if you don’t want to explore that further, but I’m not opposed, either.”

The truth is, she’s felt it too. Even when she thought he was a cocky bastard, there was a chemistry there as well, and now that she’s seen a bit of his softer side, it really seems like whatever that charge is between them could maybe grow into something more than sexual release.

“I think there’s something too,” she whispers, as if it’s her deepest secret. Looking up at Killian, his eyes are blown wide with surprise beneath the lingering lust. Taking a chance, she reaches for his hand and twines their fingers together. “I’m not saying this will stay… something,” she warns, “but I think it has potential.”

“I think I can work with that,” Killian grins, sliding his arm around her waist to pull her into an embrace.

Emma can too.

[largebeeffriedrice]

Choose Your Deity Carefully - Chapter 2

Also on AO3 if that floats your goat more. 

Chapter 2: Terms and Conditions

There's a 90's country song that goes something like, '...before I know it Saturdays gone, but it's Sunday now and you can bet that I'm alright.'

Indeed, the Sunday following my run in with Loki was quite uneventful. Which was marvelous for me.

I'd stayed in my apartment and nothing bad happened to me. My cable didn't cut out, all the neighbors were surprisingly quiet, and someone even ordered a pizza that I got because somehow the driver had the wrong address but also somehow had an extra pizza.

That last one I was very suspicious about and wondered if my potential new deity had anything to do with it. If he had then I was pretty prepared to accept becoming a worshipper. My only problem was that I was still a skeptic and wanted proof that this act was tied to him.

Especially since he didn't seem like the type to do good will favors or at least not without some fanfare. Even if it was just to convince me to convert.

But by Monday, I was back to dragging my feet and attempting to not cry at every misfortune that befell me.

The bakery I went to every Monday was closed due to a handful of health code violations, my bus drove right by my stop, and the sole to one of my flats suddenly started tearing away. Forcing me to walk to work with my stomach growling and my foot aching from the continuous slap of my sole smacking into my heel with every step.

I tried to reason that this is just stuff that happens to people.

Especially stuff that happens to me. But it was just getting more and more unusual how much happened in one day. Even one week. Hell, I'd go so far as to even say a month!

But I'd be damned if it didn't make me more tempted to take up Loki's offer.

The temptation rose when Megan from accounting visited me on the third floor to ask me again how to spell my name and, "Oh, weird. I'm not even showing you on the payroll now."

It reached its climax when I went to go take my lunch and found that someone had eaten all of my food before putting my empty lunch sack back into the fridge with a note that said, 'Should have put your name on it.'

My full name was still visible on the wrinkled up bag.

After lunch, I had returned to my desk and started researching what I could about Loki and then, once I'd learned some mythology, started looking up what kind of offerings Norse Gods accepted.

I'd opened a couple different tabs from some sketchy looking websites but had to admit they seemed pretty detailed. Though some of the stuff went over my head--- was I supposed to actually find real dragon blood or just the incense?--- I felt confident that it would be easy to keep the trickster pleased with small tokens of worship. Who doesn't like alcohol and burying coins in exchange for good luck?

I was about to Google and see if there were particular prayers or something required of me when my computer screen suddenly went black.

I tapped, banged, and pleaded with the screen to come back on. I even unplugged and replugged in the tower to try and get the piece of shit working. But, inevitably, I had to accept defeat and call someone from IT to come look at it.

It was while I was waiting that everything fully cemented into my mind. Full acceptance of Loki's deal washed over me, as I realized that I was going to have to explain to some tech guy why I was looking up Norse mythology when I was supposed to actually be working.

~~

Later that night, I set to work making a sort of altar spot for him in my living room. All of the blogs I'd seen had dedicated the color green to him so I went with it. I'd bought green candles, incenses, a tiny planting pot for whatever coins I found around the apartment, and a pretty fake plant.

The plant was really more for me but it seemed to fit on the crate I bought for all my worshipping needs so I left it there.

The faint aroma of burning meat started flooding my apartment as I lit the candle and incenses and carefully placed them away from the plastic leaves of my plastic hydrangea.

That was another thing I had ended up learning. Not from my computer but from the IT person sent to fix the damn thing. After she had tried to explain to me what was wrong with the computer, thankfully not a virus, she had then chatted me up on the content still sitting guiltily in my browser.

Apparently, she was a major history buff and had been more than pleased to tell me about how people would go so far as to burn meat as a form of sacrifice to the old gods. Something about how it symbolized their level of devotion since they were willing to give up valuable food to keep the deities happy.

It made sense after she explained it and I even agreed to talk to her more about it over lunch one day; partially because I wanted to know more and partially as a way to thank her for her willingness not to tell anyone that I hadn't been working.

Of course, I didn't really have money to go out and buy meat specifically for this so I had to accept the burning crisp death of a roast I'd planned to make for dinner that night. Maybe I'd ask for a favor that involved Megan from accounting since I felt like this was somewhat her fault.

But as the meat burned, the candles flickered, and the incense tickled my nose, I realized nothing was happening. I'd completely forgot to finish looking up what else I was supposed to do to actually summon Loki back to me. I should have asked the IT woman.

So, I did the only thing I had some knowledge of and kneeled beside the homemade shrine and bowed my head to pray.

"Loki. I don't even know what I'm supposed to say in a prayer. But I'd like to discuss the deal you offered me. Umm. Very interested. Thank you."

That was good. Right?

Still, nothing happened.

I stayed kneeling next to the altar for a few more moments before finally deciding to go check on the meat. The way my luck had been running I was risking sending my apartment up in a fiery blaze from my antics.

I rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight. My prayer had been answered.

Loki sat crossed legged on the island, staring worriedly at my oven, and mindlessly rubbing at his chin.

It is still not clear if he just happened to notice me standing there or if I had maybe made a gaspy noise, but his eyes suddenly flicked my way and he finally said, "Mortal, you know that you have a perfectly ruined piece of roast in here, right?"

'Yeah, it's a sacrifice or something for you."

The arched eyebrow look again, "How mundane and wasteful. We could have had that for dinner."

The annoyance that surged through my body helped me move into action and I stomped further into my kitchen to turn the oven off and 'save' the roast from it's burning coffin.

"Well, it's not like you told me how I was supposed to call upon you or anything."

He didn't respond as he continued eyeing the roast. Even as it sat burnt and black on the stovetop. I'd never been great at reading people but it almost seemed like he had a hungry gleam in his eyes.

It was enough of a glint that I decided to risk it and ask, "I can fix something to eat if that's really what you want?"

He licked his lips, slowly, before answering, "No. I don't have time for that now. We need to talk about you doing a better job as my acolyte."

How long had he been in here staring at the charred hunk of meat? I tried to think about how long I had been in the living room preparing but honestly couldn't remember.

"I haven't actually agreed to it yet."

"But you want to. I already know," his hands rolled around one another, causing a flash of green light to abrupt in the empty space between them. The light blindly filled the whole kitchen and then quickly faded to reveal a rolled up scroll.

As his right hand grabbed at the floating parchment paper, his shockingly green eyes finally looked away from the roast and pinned me with a fiendish smile.

Loki held the paper out to me and softly spoke, "This is the terms and conditions."

Hesitantly, I reached out and gingerly took the scroll from him. A thought flitted through my mind and briefly, I paused and wondered if I was technically accepting the offer just by taking the paper.

But curiosity was my worst enemy and I clutched the paper a little tighter and fully pulled it from his hand.

His mirthful expression only grew as he watched me unravel the scroll and scrupulously read over it.

"Wait. I thought I was the one asking you for favors?"

"I said that there would be times I would require acts from you. Those are just the ones that I know about ahead of time."

"You want me to help you gain how many new followers?! You are the same guy who attacked New York aren't you?"

This only earned me a quick scowl before the God of Mischief recovered and replied, "Yes, but look at the benefits."

"Literally the benefits of me helping you get that many worshippers are that you don't kill me. I could always refuse to not accept this deal and not die. Right?" I didn't wait for him to answer as something popped into my brain, "Why do you even need this?

What are you really getting out of 'helping' me?"

Loki tsked me and shook his head disdainfully as if I was stepping out of line by asking such a question. I gave him another second or two before it became obvious that he had no intention of clarifying anything.

I wish this had rattled me more than it did at that moment. But sadly I just accepted his silence and had gone back to reading over the terms and conditions. Letting myself get swept up into the whirlwind chaos of the God of Mischief.

"So, you don't have an actual church?"

"Ew, no."

"Where are people supposed to go to pray to you then?"

He childishly turned up his nose and crossed his arms, "Praying is terrible and I want no part of it. It's dull, unimaginative, and normal."

"How am I suppose to truly worship you then? How am I supposed to communicate with you when I can't find you?"

These were the right questions and his jade eyes fixed on me with a flare of excitement.

With a quick and loud snap of his fingers, a second scroll appeared in his left hand. He pointed at me with the rolled up paper and hissed, "Once you sign and agree to that paper, I will gladly hand over this list of everything you'll need to know for proper offerings and all the works. Plus, I'll go over how to send word to me."

My eyes narrowed and kept glancing back and forth between Loki's smug, long face and the scroll resting loosely in his hand.

Again, past me should have followed her gut on how shaken she'd felt at having heard that the actual required acts were being kept on a different paper for AFTER she sold her soul.

But whatever. I'm still here. For now.

"Are you actually going to kill me if I don't succeed with your side mission?"

'No. Too messy. I'm already in enough trouble. But I can make your life very miserable."

That obviously didn't sound promising but the allure of having a year of better luck somehow won out in my mind. If my death was messy then no way he would actually really commit to tormenting me forever. Right?

"Also, I don't have to have sex with you, right? If that's on that paper in your hands then I refuse."

An exasperated huff, "No. That's not on the paper."

"Okay then, God of Mischief and Chaos," I paused when he held a finger up as if to correct me, but he scrunched his nose up instead and motioned for me to continue, "Get me a pen and I'll agree to a year of being your lackey."

"Wonderful," another snap of his fingers and a pen apparated into my right hand, "this is going to be so much fun."

As I signed the document in my hand I noticed that a symbol had appeared in the section marked off for Loki to sign. It didn't surprise me that he'd use magic instead of his own hand but I couldn't make out what it was supposed to be.

"What is that symbol for?"

"It's my corresponding rune."

"Oh."

And just like that the ink of the paper glimmer and glowed in a golden aura before I had to slightly shake my head and blink rapidly. It looked as if there were double words on the paper and I couldn't figure out why my brain was hallucinating that.

Except my mind wasn't.

The doubled ink suddenly pulled itself together at the bottom of the paper and then slowly bled and trickled its way towards my left hand. I gasped and roughly started shaking my hand, trying to get it to let go of the scroll.

But my fingers held tight against my will and the wild shaking did nothing to deter the ink from continuing its path now towards the inside of my wrist. Once it had all gathered there the ink started to sizzle against my flesh and then evaporated completely by the time I could even release a pained howl.

Where the ink had just been there was now a seared version of "Loki's rune" resting on my pink and inflamed skin.

"What the hell!? I didn't agree to be branded!"

The God of Mischief laughed hardily at my indignation and even slapped his hand on his knee a few times.

The merriment ended just as suddenly as it had begun and in its place, an exhausted expression took over Loki's face. It was as if he'd aged a couple sleepless years in an instant. Dark circles rested below his eyes and some frown lines were a little more visible next to his mouth.

With a tired sigh, he held out the other scroll and murmured, "Hold on to both of those papers. They are going to be your best tools for the next year."

I'm not even sure what had happened to the pen--- and I never gave it any thought until just now--- but I reached out my right hand and tugged the paper quickly from him. Not wanting anymore more trickery tonight.

He simply arched another brow in amusement and then blinked out of existence.

Leaving me standing alone in my kitchen with a burnt roast and two old ass looking scrolls.

"Okay. So. That all happened," I muttered while making my way back towards the shrine in the living room, "Though I don't know what I'm going to do about work since I'm not allowed to have a tattoo."

With my own weary sigh, I blew out all the still burning candles and snuffed out what was left of the incense. Then I rolled the contract up and placed it neatly next to my new fake plant.

I'd intended to just leave the new scroll rolled up with the contract, and look at it tomorrow, but something tickled at that back of my head and wouldn't let up until I started to unfurl the parchment.

Sure enough, my hands began shaking and one of my eyes started to twitch rapidly.

"THIS PAPER IS BLANK, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

I had failed to consider that Loki was not just the God of Mischief. Not just the God of Chaos.

But most importantly... he was the God of Lies.

[innuendostudios]

Superposition, a 25-minute dissection of Life is Strange’s genre fuckery. As ever, you can keep this work coming by supporting me on Patreon. Transcript below the cut.

Maybe you knew this already, but Life is Strange is a weird-ass video game, one that is, by turns, a nakedly honest point-and-clicker about teen girls and a psychosexual freakout on the nature of choice. It doesn’t exactly marry these two themes painlessly and I’m, frankly, unconvinced it’s trying to.

Mechanically, Life is Strange - a game by Dontnod - is a mostly faithful iteration on the Telltale adventure game model: a lot of mid-90’s LucasArts design, several recent innovations, and a heaping dose of Heavy Rain. Like a Telltale game, you navigate a 3D world and interact with your environment using context-sensitive button presses. And, like a Telltale game, play consists of simple adventure game puzzles, plot-branching decisions, and a whole lot of dialogue. Like a Telltale game, it’s released in five episodes, where choices you make in one will alter the contents of episodes down the line, and it has the same notifications that a choice will have consequences, the same frequent autosave to keep you from replaying too much of the game, and the same breakdown at the end of an episode that compares your choices with those of other players. But one hallmark of a Telltale game that is conspicuously absent is the thing that makes Telltale’s choices so meaningful: the timer.

A timer at the bottom of the screen ticking down every time you make a decision enforces a particular type of play. See, Telltale doesn’t want you to deliberate on your choices, Telltale wants you to act on your gut, which sometimes means making a choice you come to regret and having to live with it for the rest of the game. But, in Life is Strange, players are given the ability to rewind time, letting them see the all results of just about every choice, every puzzle, every line of dialogue, before making up their minds and proceeding. Players can deliberate forever. If you were to keep two saves going so you could see all outcomes of your choices, that would be playing against Telltale’s design philosophy, which is about living with your decisions, but, here, save-scumming is a core mechanic.

Now, I dunno what the developers’ thought process was, but I like to imagine them coming up with this idea and then asking, “OK, say a person could actually do this, could see every possible future stemming from their actions and pick the one they think is best; what would the logical endpoint of that story be?”

Hahaaahahaahaahaaa, okay. Okay. Alright.

The plot mechanics of Life is Strange are fucking bizarre. It is, in essence, two entirely different stories rolled up into the same package. These two stories contain all the same characters and all the same plot points, but exist in wildly different genres and have wildly different themes. For the first two-and-a-half-ish episodes, you appear to be playing a tender coming-of-age story, while the second two-and-a-half-ish are a Lynchian psychodrama that seems designed with the express purpose of complicating, then rejecting, and, ultimately, attempting to devour the coming-of-age story and erase all records of its existence. And then, in a truly bugfuck climax, the game point-blank asks you, the player, which of these two stories you want an ending to.

Why don’t we start at the beginning?

Max Caulfield is a student at the prestigious Blackwell Academy in her hometown of Arcadia Bay. Like a lot of people her age, she’s a little awkward, a little shy. She’s on her own for the first time - several years earlier, she and her family moved to Seattle, and her parents are still there while she’s moved into the Blackwell dorms. Max hasn’t maintained any of her local friendships, and, while she gets along with everyone who doesn’t actively hate her, she doesn’t have a group, or any close friends, except maybe the boy who has a crush on her. She’s also devoted to photography - it’s what she’s here to study - and greatly admires her photography teacher, but she’s too nervous to submit her work to the big photo competition, despite her teacher’s encouragement.

One day, after an intense vision in her photo class, Max bears witness to the school bully pulling a gun and shooting a girl in the bathroom, and, in that moment, she, as if by instinct, discovers that she can reverse time by up to a minute or two. After a bit of trial and error she manages to change history, preventing the girl’s death. And, that strangeness aside, she steps back into her normal life with her newfound abilities.

This is the setup for a very particular genre of story, albeit one with a more fantastical bent than usual. This genre has a name, but I’m only going to say it once, because it’s long, and German, and when American’s start dropping long, German words into their sentences they come off as seriously pretentious and even I have limits. But the word is Bildungsroman.

Now, English-speakers often use this term interchangeably with “coming-of-age story,” but it’s actually a specific genre with specific themes. The novel most often referenced as the first… story of this kind is Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, and other notable examples include Jane Eyre, The Glass Bead Game, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Classically, these are stories about indecision, about a youth, pulled in many directions, trying to decide what kind of adult they’re going to be. The tension is not between protagonist and antagonist - traditionally, there is no real antagonist - but between protagonist and society. The adult world has expectations of the main character, and that character needs to decide to what extent, as a grown-up, they want to satisfy those expectations and to what extent they want to pursue their own happiness. The usual emotional arc of a… German coming-of-age story is accepting that maturity means taking on the world’s demands - shouldering your share of society’s burdens - and learning to fit your happiness around that responsibility: Wilhelm Meister leaves the theater and becomes a doctor, Jane Eyre marries on her own terms, Joseph Knecht leaves Castalia to become a teacher in the larger world (though sometimes the battle between personal happiness and social responsibility is not resolved simply).

The early going of Life is Strange fits snugly into the… genre. There are even subgenres that are “coming into one’s own as a student” and “coming into one’s own as an artist,” which revolve around mentor characters, so tick those off the list as well. After discovering her powers, Max runs into the girl from the bathroom in the parking lot and realizes it’s her best friend from childhood, Chloe, and the two become nearly inseparable. When Max reveals her abilities, Chloe enlists her in the hunt for Rachel Amber, a friend of hers who vanished recently, and what follows is less a traditional plot than, typical of the genre, a string of vignettes, this one loosely structured around a search for the missing girl. These various episodes gives Max many windows into lives she could lead. Stick it to the mean girl, or turn the other cheek? Down-to-earth boyfriend or maybe unpredictable girlfriend? Reach out to the girl being mistreated by a security guard, or take a photo for art? These are all hallmarks of the genre: questions of ethics, the wholesome love vs. the wild love, dedication to others vs. dedication to art.

You might think that the ability to call do-over on any decision would make these choices easier, but you’d be wrong - time travel makes all of them harder! Dedicating yourself to photography means breaking a hurting girl’s heart; kissing the wild love means devastating the wholesome love. At one point, Max changes history so dramatically that she actually visits an alternate timeline, where she’s popular with the girls who had previously mistreated her but isn’t friends with Chloe at all. This only drives home that, no matter what life she leads, there will be a cost. She can’t have everything; there is no one right answer. No matter what she chooses, she’s doing wrong by someone. This sets up the classic arc where she’s going to have to make some big decisions about what maturity means to her, and those decisions will involve sacrifices.

At least, that’s how it works on paper. In practice, the game only sometimes strikes that balance where all options have merits and drawbacks and no one is empirically better than the others. More often it’s like, ok, you’re trying to get into this RV but there’s an angry dog inside: do you distract the dog by throwing a bone into the parking lot, or kill the dog by throwing the bone into traffic? And that’s a fake choice. No one kills the dog. Why would you kill the dog? And then there’s the small mercies, like keeping someone from getting splashed by muddy water, which… ok, that isn’t a sacrifice; there is no reason not to do that.

So let’s say the time travel works as an imperfect metaphor for youthful indecision. And what pleasures can be drawn from this section of the game are to do with how much you enjoy earnestness. There’s a commitment from the designers to tackle subjects that are very uncommon to video games - from teen suicide to euthanasia to budding queer romance - and it’s hard not to respect their willingness to go there. Real effort has been put into addressing these subjects seriously, and these sequences can be very affecting… even as none of them entirely hit the mark. The scene where you talk a suicidal Kate off a rooftop, for all its intensity, is, mechanically, Kate quizzing you on how much flavor text you read in her room earlier; the sequence where alt-universe Chloe wants to die takes great pains to not be ableist towards paraplegics while still being kind of ableist towards paraplegics; and the budding queer romance often seems about two sentences away from turning into a late-night Showtime erotic drama that is obviously written by middle-aged men. But it’s not crass! The game’s heart is on its sleeve, and the writers clearly mean everything they say even when they don’t entirely know what they’re talking about. And if you can appreciate sincerity even as you acknowledge its failings, then you can appreciate the game for what it is: it’s like Max, awkward but well-meaning, naive, possessing a good heart and still kind of ignorant.

And that’s Life is Strange.... until the second half of the game happens.

In this story, time traveling teenager Max Caulfield and her best friend, Chloe Price, hot on the trail of the missing girl, Rachel Amber, discover that her story was not a tragic one of a wayward youth getting in over her head with her drug-dealer boyfriend, but one in which she was sedated, photographed, and murdered in an underground facility straight out of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. In trying to track down the boy they think is responsible, Max suddenly drops to the ground with a needle in her neck and watches helplessly as her best friend dies from a bullet to the head, then wakes up tied to a chair by the real killer: her photography professor, Mr. Jefferson. This is a story about regret, choice, and loyalty, full of serial killer monologues and hallucinatory imagery; a story where people look in the sky and see the moon doubled and the beach fills with the bodies of dead whales.

After two and a half episodes of vignettes, Life is Strange has decided it has an honest-to-goodness plot, one that bears a striking resemblance to, well... the designers want me to say Twin Peaks, but, honestly, the greater debt it owes is to Donnie Darko: Max is guided by an animal figure only she can see and who is probably the spirit of a dead character; Chloe is a teenager who’s only alive due to the interventions of a time traveller and this is causing a number of supernatural events to occur; just before the climax our hero is up on a hill coming to a difficult conclusion after watching her girlfriend die as a curious weather pattern descends on the town below; Chloe realizes that maybe the only way to set things right is to go back in time and die like she was originally fated to and then none of this awfulness will have ever happened; and multiple episodes end with tracking shots of all the major characters montaged together while melancholy pop music plays underneath… it’s not subtle.

As you can imagine, going from Jane Eyre to Donnie Darko is a bit of a tonal shift. In fairness, the game does set all these threads up in the first half, and it’s not like the coming-of-age story disappears (the euthanasia subplot actually happens past the midpoint), it’s just that what used to be background texture have become subjects in their own right, and they make the coming-of-age story look pretty out of place, Like, the love triangle between Chloe, Max, and Warren made sense in a coming-of-age story but it’s just ridiculous when your relationship with Chloe is tearing apart the fabric of reality and Warren is just a dude. In this story, the antagonist is not society but the very literal villain you thought was the mentor figure. The narrative tension is not about Max finding herself but about fixing mistakes, and hopefully not getting murdered in the process. Chloe is not a wild love but the possible instigator of the apocalypse. And Max’s powers are not a metaphor for indecision but a pointed meditation on what it means to be a protagonist, but more on that in a minute.

This half also has some ideas about choice that complicate what choice meant in the first half. There’s a scene where you try to get information from Rachel Amber’s ex-boyfriend, and, thanks to Max’s powers, you can see it play out a lot of different ways, but you start to realize that possibly the only way that nobody gets hurt… is if you killed the dog earlier in the game. Four episodes in Life is Strange decides it actually is a game about living with decisions you can’t undo!

When I started this video talking about Telltale, that wasn’t just an easy point of reference - what originally seemed like an interesting take on the Telltale model now seems as though it has a bone to pick with games of that type. The complaint so often lobbied against Telltale is that it promises your choices will have significant impact on the story; lots of people criticize them for not delivering on that promise, but Life is Strange seems to criticize Telltale for making the promise in the first place. Why, the game asks, should you even want that responsibility?

I mean, let’s look at how Max escapes Mr. Jefferson’s studio. Earlier in the game, Max discovers that she can travel to any point in the past that is captured in a photograph. So, through the photos Jefferson has on hand, she starts leaping back to different points in the game’s continuity adjusting her decisions, trying to tweak the timeline, undo mistakes. She’s looking for a scenario where she is free, Chloe is alive, and, if at all possible, no tornado is bearing down to wipe Arcadia Bay off the map, in case you forgot that’s a thing that’s happening. As when she first used her powers to save Chloe, it takes some trial and error, but she pulls it off - Mr. Jefferson’s in jail, Chloe is safe, and, hey, she even got her photo into that competition, and, what do you know, she won! Instead of tied up in a murderer’s photography studio, she’s in San Francisco with a new and better mentor figure, and her art is up on the wall, and she’s the toast of the show. This is a hyper-idealized ending to the coming-of-age story - after finally making up her mind and taking decisive action, Max has come into her own as a student, an artist, and a young woman.

Then she checks in on Chloe. There is always a cost.

Stories about teenagers who develop superhuman abilities often frame themselves as coming-of-age stories - it’s not a coincidence how many fall back on the puberty metaphor. Even without time travel or gamma rays, growing up means gaining power and independence one didn’t have as a child, so everyone is expected to learn - let’s all say it together - “with great power comes great responsibility.” But, however much superpowers serve as symbols for growing up, they are also wish-fulfillment. We may agree that Peter Parker should use his newfound strength with discretion, but it still feels good to watch him beat up the bully. And we may be saddened by Uncle Ben’s death, but we’re still glad that it turns Peter into Spider-man. Because that’s what we’re here to see. That’s a tension endemic to the genre - that, on the one hand, power is dangerous and must be be used sparingly, and, on the other hand, power is awesome, and we pay money to see characters wield it. And law and order, good and evil, life and death are all present not as subjects deserving of their own films but as means of centering a protagonist in an interesting story, compelling him to use his awesome powers, and teaching a boy how to be a man.

This tension is at the heart of Telltale games, as well, and most games in that model. They may present as being about futility, about being a miniscule player in an enormous, losing game, but the plot still contorts itself to ensure the most dramatic and impactful decisions rest on the protagonist’s shoulders. And however terrible that responsibility is implied to be, players play because they want to make those decisions, and complain when they are not impactful enough.

In Life is Strange, Max comes to realize that all the bizarre occurrences - the moons, the whales, the tornado - have been caused by her leaping through time. That she can’t set things right because trying to set things right has and will only ever make things worse. This isn’t just a false ending; this is an evisceration of the game you thought you were playing for the first two and a half episodes. Max gives up her perfect ending and goes back to the studio in one last effort to save Chloe, while the game stares down the player and says, “How dare you think this was a coming-of-age story. How dare you think time travel was a neat way to work through your indecision. How could you think a power this great could ever be used responsibly? How could you think the consequences for your mistakes would be borne by you and you alone?”

This sets up an arc where Max will have to do what superhero movies almost never do: truly reckon with how dangerous real power can be.

This point gets hammered for the rest of Episode 5. I got rescued by Chloe’s step-dad, and when he learned Chloe was dead he killed Mr. Jefferson, and the game was like, hey, do you want to go back and change that? And I was like, I don’t know anymore. I could, but will changing things just make them go even more wrong? And when I go back and save Chloe, will any of this have even happened? And, fuck, there’s a tornado gonna come kill all of us anyway, so is there any scenario where this choice even matters? Then, above ground, the game still let me perform those small mercies, but, like, great, you’re welcome, hope you enjoy the five minutes I just added to your life cuz you’re still gonna die and it’s all my fault but I want my girlfriend back so I’m gonna jump back one more time and make things just a little bit worse.

Even when you do get Chloe back, the game has made you aware of the horrible cost your entire community will pay for you having used your powers to save her again and again and again. Your only goal has been to fix your mistakes and you’re being punished for having even tried! The game deposits you on a hill to watch as Hell descends on the town below, and then tells you, in so many words, “This is the price you paid for your friend.”

And then it asks, “Would you like a refund?”

Seeing what’s happened to Arcadia Bay, Chloe says that, if there’s a chance it will undo everything that’s occurred, she wants you to go back in time to the bathroom and let her die. Maybe that’s just the way fate wanted things to happen. And it’s up to you to grant or deny her wish.

This final decision is the game offering you two very appropriate endings for the two very different games you have been playing. Per the themes of the… coming-of-age story of the Germanic persuasion, Max’s arc is learning to sacrifice for the greater good. She can’t have it all, she can’t satisfy everyone, and sometimes doing right by your society means giving up something you love. In the battle between personal happiness and responsibility, responsibility wins. Sometimes the wild love is someone you have to let go of - be grateful for your time together and kiss her goodbye. She knows what’s right - it’s better this way.

Per the themes of the Lynchian psychodrama, have you fucking lost it?? What about the last 12-odd hours of gameplay in which trying to change the past universally makes the present worse gave you the idea that going back “one more time” could possibly fix anything? Have you learned nothing? Yes, you fucked up, and all of this is your fault, but in real life people have to live with their fuckups, even the big ones. No one has the right to change history. You can’t keep trying to control this. This is bigger than you and Chloe. You have to let go.

That’s about as incompatible as two endings can be. In one, all the themes of the first half of the game are thrown in a lake and Max never finds her place in society because society gets eaten by a tornado, and in the other the whole psychodrama plotline and all its attendant themes are literally erased from history. Whichever you pick, whichever plot you decide is the right one, a sizable portion of the game will be rendered meaningless. And we should acknowledge that these two themes, Sacrifice For The Greater Good and Learn To Live With Your Mistakes are not, in real life, things we get to choose between. Maturity means doing both.

If you elect to keep Chloe alive, Max and Chloe wordlessly drive out of town. And maybe it’s meant to be an unresolved ending that sticks with you for a while - T2 meets Thelma and Louise - and that might be a pretty bold decision if the game didn’t autosave right before The One Choice You Can’t Make Twice, which means everyone is going to reload 5 minutes after they finish and watch the other ending which is just… is just in all conceivable ways better. The ending where Chloe dies is longer, it has proper closure, there’s this funeral scene that is so cathartic it doesn’t even make sense (you two never even met Chloe in this timeline, why are you here???). And it confirms that, yeah, you didn’t have to live with your mistakes, going back would have fixed everything. Worse, it boils the ending choice down to Who Do You Love More, Chloe or Everyone Else?, the reason fans have dubbed the ending “bay or bae,” but whether or not you love Chloe the mostest isn’t really what all that stuff about fucking up the timeline was getting at. If ever a game needed to pull a Swapper and erase your save after you make the final decision, this was it.

And that’s how Life is Strange ends. I honestly can’t tell you if this game is good, I can’t even tell you if I liked it, but I think… I think I loved it? I mean, that last decision is kind of bullshit, but I got real choked up making it. Now we’ve got word that both a sequel and a prequel are in the works, and, frankly, I’m apprehensive. There is a certain power to starting with an emotionally resonant genre and then ramming it headlong into a weirder, darker, more ambitious genre, and that’s a move that only works when you’re not expecting it. Do I wanna critique how effectively Life is Strange goes off the rails when once I was dumbfounded that it did at all? Life is Strange was like nothing I’d ever played, for good and for ill; a sequel will like at least one thing I’ve played already. And I don’t even know if I should like this game! When people talk shit on it, I don’t even disagree, and yet here we are. Ah, fuck it. I don’t even know. Life is Strange, everyone. Wowser.

[kendrixtermina]

Extra Typology Vol #3 - Part 3, A: The Conscientious Style (Basics)

The Conscientious style is possibly the most common one, as well as the one the author believes to be the most influential upon society - 

Here are the people that have built our world, and their most defining characteristics are loyalty (be it family, causes or superiors) and hard work - Most people who become any sort of accomplished expert have at least a little of this in their makeup, and in societies where work ethic is valued, they tend to flourish - Indeed, Conscientious attributes such as prudence, archievement and conventionality are so entrenched in our society that a wide range of Conscientious style behaviors are tolerated, even rewarded.

- Perhaps too wide a range, as bigotry, rigidity or workaholism tends to go relatively unchallenged compared to excesses in other styles. Ultimately, it all depends on wether the trait enriches a given person’s six domains, or instead controls and distorts them. At their best, however, they are people of strong moral principle and absolute certainty, who won’t rest until what whatever has to be done has been done, and done right. 

The Six Domains

Work

“Work” this style’s key domain and the sphere of life in which most of the characteristically Conscientious behavior occurs - be it housework, job/career or leisure time projects, work is a central aspect to their aspect and one that dominates all others - It is also where this style really shines:

Competent, organized, good with detail, thorough, perfectionistic, determined and loyal, they are the kind of employee everyone dreams of finding, the ace student or the housekeeper who keeps the family running like clockwork - They are doers by nature, and that ‘doing’ extends to pretty much all their pursuits, including hobbies - They derive satisfaction from intense, focussed and detailed activity and they’d rather try hard than have it easy - indeed, the effort might be part of what makes it worthwhile for them - they need the challenge of working towards perfection and thrive on the drive toward accomplishment - besides, they are preseverant and believe that things are only worth doing if they’re done right, no matter how long it takes. 

That, however, may also backfire - they’re perfectionists, so if their boss tries to get them to stop working on something before it has or do it in a different way, they might well grow frustrated with the Conscientious person’s inflexibility - they might be unwilling to change course midway, defer to someone else’s methodology, eliminate steps in a process or skip by details, so they should be managed by someone who can cut to the chase and knows how to delegate tasks without being too micromanaging.

Self

Conscientious individuals are quick to define themselves & others by their jobs and other contributions to society, and tend to ask about other’s professions when getting to know them (and may uncomfortably avoid the question if their current job doesn’t match their standards)

They believe that they must produce & contribute to society to the best o their abilityin the socially & culturally approved ways of the time, without ever underperforming or  sitting idle - They are ruled by a powerful conscience and a huge sense of responsibility, believing that they always should be working - and if you ask, they’ll usually tell you that they’re very busy and that their activities all require a great deal of effort.

People of this style measure themselves by the strict yardstick of a strong & demanding inner authority - Indeed, if you listen to them speaking, you might notice just how often they say things like “I should...” or “You should...” (They like to give advice.) - because of this very developed conscience, people of this style often contribute greatly to our society - They demand perfection in moral behavior, both from themselves and everyone else, and often become heroes in the fight for their causes.

That said, that same sense of “I should...” can become personally tormenting, after all, humans are fallible, and can’t always withstand a constand pressure for moral perception - Self-acceptance can be hard or this type, as they might often feel that they’re not quite hitting the mark, or indeed, have never done enough. 

Emotions

Conscientious Individuals are generally ruled by their heads, reason and analytic thinking styles - emotions, urges, whims or hungers rarely get the best of them. 

But the stronger the Consciontious bent, the harded it becomes to forgive oneself for the ordinary human lapses we’re all prone to - when one’ behavior doesn’t measure up to one’s high self-expectations (the “shoulds”), guilt results - thus, guilt and worry are frequent visitors in the Conscientious person’s internal emotional headspace. 

As far as their external expressions go, their behavior is typically marked by reserve - if this is your dominant style, you’re probably not sentimental or gushy and keep your feelings close to your chest - They’d prefer to react cooly, act on reason and if you do encounter them in “emotional mode”, you will find that they’re not functioning at their best - indeed, for those dominated by this style, situations that produce strong emotion and lead them to unplanned-for spontaneous expressions (like blowing up in anger or bursting into tears) can be a major source of stress. Because they’re often uncomfortable at expressing their feelings, they tend to come off as dry, formal and intelligent. 

Though they might find it easier to express anger towards those they consider subordinates, in conflict with those they consider an authority they will prefer to reason their way back in the boss’ good graces, and might take criticism rather hard. 

Self-Control

That same “inner voice of authority” we’ve mentioned above provides the basis for the Conscientious’ style’s generally excellent self-discipline, which, of course, often goes on to set the stage for success. Conscientious individuals tend to stick to their diets, keep up with their training regimes, don’t exceed their credit card limits and practice their musical instruments. 

Worldview

The conscientious’ person’s orientation towards correctness & common sense can sometimes turn their personal world into a place devoid of nuance, where there is only black or white, right or wrong, and little empathy for the subtle greys, shades, complexities and gradations of the world - They can fall into the belief that only they and their opinions and/or followers are right, and everybody else is wrong.

In the extreme, dysfunctional people of this type can be bigots or fanatists. 

Relationships

First, it has to be said that Conscientious people can make great romantic mates or longtime friends - They care a great deal about having stable bonds in their lives & will go out of their way to provide for their loved one’s material needs. They are generally loyal, responsible and faithful.

However, depending on upbringing, strenght of the trait & their partner’s personality, one problem they can have is that they can be peceived as unromantic - they won’t necessarily shower you with roses for your birthday, but they’ll make sure your house has the newest, most useful gadgets. 

Intimacy can be hard for Conscientious types - They’re comfortable when sharing activities, discussing technical topics or giving you their opinion on politics & world events, but they may not naturally tend to “talk about feelings” or fare well if they’re frequently asked to do so - This doesn’t mean that they don’t have feelings or emotional needs, indeed, they tend to be deeply attached to their mates, friends & family, but expressing feelings (or, sometimes, even recognizing them) can be stressful to them - They show their affection more through deeds than words and may not say “I love you” as often as their mates want. 

Another potential source of problems can be the conscientious person’s need for pefection and the stubbornness with which they pursue it - They may have a hard time letting others do things their way, and problem solving may be compromised by the conscientious person’s need to “be right” and “win” - they don’t easily compromise as it can feel like “giving in” to them. 

Also, they might tend to throw themselves into & become consumed wih their work in times of stress, though they won’t run away from you unless you push them. They can appear stingy, overcautious & ungenerous but underneath, one often finds a devoted, reliable, emotionally steady person who will always support their loved ones. 

In mild levels, a tinge of conscientiousness in either partners tends to be good glue for lasting relationships. 

Life Choices

Leadership

While styles like Self-Confident or Agressive tend to rise to the top through political accumen and/or manipulation of power, Conscientious folks usually rise through the ranks through sheer hard work - and given their willingness to invest much time into the cause, it’s probably not surprising that people high in that particular trait often move to the top of many organization - 

They’re loyal, they’re competent, they respect authority & do a lot of their best work when they’re accountable to someone for it, so in many ways, they make an ideal second-in-command or behind-the-scenes player that can always be counted on - However, the positions at the very top can require skills that lie outside the Conscientious style’s comfort zone, such as making quick decisions, setting priorities, delegating responsibility and appreciating different work styles - this style tends to demand rigorous standards from both themselves and others, which could well be too inflexible for efficient work distributions. 

Even so, even individuals in which this style is very dominant still generally rise very high, and if the person also has a streak of, say, Self-Confident or Aggressive, that could supply them with the necessary political mojo to make it to the very top. 

Job Recomendations

The Conscientious Style in suited to a great variety of jobs & generally does well in this area of life, particularly if their occupation requires a mind for facts, categories and technical detail - thus, they tend to gravitate towards the technical, organizing side of any profession, and in particular fields like medicine, science, research, mathematics, business, accounting, law, engineering, computers, data processing and many more. 

The Conscientious style brings with it a greater appreciation for & abilities the details and finer point rather than the big picture - as such, they often function very well as the “right hand assistants” for leaders or supervisors fo bring good instincts, strong conceptual skills or interpersonal charme, but need someone else to do the research and fill in the details. 

If they are artists, they will probably be on the “technician” side of the technician vs. performer scale and gravitate to something that requires skill like classical music.

Stress Sources

Conscientious tends to be a high-stress personality type, at extremes, prone to type A health risks. Unused, unstructured time makes them uneasy & keeping themselves busy is part of their primary coping mechanisms, so they might find it hard to relax & unwind, and for all their enviable direction & self control in most areas, they can struggle to calm their thoughts & worries and let themselves experience pleasure - they’re typically the sort to take work home or even on vacation. 

That said, though their lifestyle choices may seem like an unending treadmill for others, the conscientious folks themselves may actually prefer a predictable hamster wheel to inactivity. 

Parenting

Conscientious types to to aim at teaching their kids strong moral values & instilling an appreciation for hard work & ambition - usually, their families are very important to them & they work hard to take care of them well. 

As with subordinates and co-workes, Conscientious people tend to demand high standards from their partners and family members - but there’s the pitfall of taking all the fun out of learning experiences by turning them into strict lessons about how things should be done, and should beware of subjecting their kids to the pressure of always having to archieve extraordinary results to fulfill their parent’s expectations - in more type B-ish personalities this can actually backfire to extinguish or block motivation rather than create it, what more, sometimes the kids of very Conscientious personalities grow up to feel that they were never accepted or appreciated with all their human frailties, ending up very afraid of making mistakes and with an internal sense that they never were, and never will be good enough. 

The Conscientious parent may in fact be proud of their children but be incapable of expressing approval, or even the affection children need - In families with children, it may help if the other parent is less conscientious and/or has some more “expressive” traits so that their affectionate treatment can make up for the other parent’s apparent stiffness and distance. 

Romantic Compatibility

One important thing to keep in mind here is that while Conscientious individuals may be reluctant to share their feelings, they are not against feelings, nor do they mind other people expressing their own, as long as there’s no demand for reciprocity - indeed, they actually tend to pair up with some of the more expressive types fairly often. 

If both partners are willing to compromise, the Dramatic style can actually be a very workeable match - If the Conscientious one can bring themselves to squeeze out a few “I love yous” and the Damatic learns to accept their partners’ less expressive responses, they can compliment each other very well: The Conscientious partner can live vicariously through their partner and gain some of their vibrancy & emotional freedom, while the Dramatic partner gains a cool, competent presure to ground them in their lives

For similar reasons, the spontaneity and risk-taking of the Adventurous type can also be appreciated, as long as it’s in a moderate range

For a more like-minded match (in different ways), moderate amounts of Sensitive & Serious can also be appreciated

Matches with Devoted or Sensitive types can be very solid

On the other hand, Conscientious-Conscientious matches are pretty common and often mutually respectful, but may be prone to power struggles

Less helpful: Individuals with significant amounts of Aggressive, Vigilant or Self-Confident - These types all possess a tendency to have their own way & be inflexible that might rub against similar qualities in the Conscientious type and explode before long. 

Bit tricky: Leisurely types. Because the Conscientious types tend to be good at running life details & like having the freedom to do them their own way, they can end up pairing up with Leisurely people, who won’t interfere and will be all too glad to be relieved of the responsibility. However, their vastly different approaches to life, work & archievement & the Leisurely partner’s lack of a great sense of time urgency or drive to archieve can drive the conscientious one nuts, possibly producing a marriage that lasts but consists mainly of complaining

Specific Issues

Decisions

Given their rational & moral inclinations, Conscientious types can generally distinguish between right & wrong, good or bad - it’s when it comes to picking between multiple good things (say, Vacation activities) that they can become ‘stuck’ & struggle to reach a decision, often ending up looking for the “objectively best” solution to questions for which there isn’t one.

Most people would rely on parts of themselves other than their will & intellect here, such as hunches, gut feelings, instincts, emotions, inspiration, intuition or personal taste, but conscientious people can be out of touch with these or even feel guilty for what is actually useful functionality that could solve their problem - they have a favorite vacation activity but they want to find “the best one for everyone” and, despite their good intentions, spend a long time doing what others would consider fretting over details - often this leads to a decision being made simply because some options fall alway because the time window of oppurtinity was wasted agonizing over the choice. 

Stuff

A conscientious person is likely to have an attic or basement full of stuff they will likely never use again - book, clothes, office supplies, everything. - good luck convincing them off that, though, as they will prefer to keep or “save” stuff in case it comes in handy later - they want to know where it is and where they can find it, sometimes to the chagrin of their spouses. 

(I can personally confirm this in several individuals I suspect of conscientious-ness, and it’s a surprisingly little detail you couldn’t explain with mbti or enneagram overlaps alone)

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Can Reiki Cure Headaches Stunning Useful Ideas

As the number 2 spot was also peaceful and feel good results.Rather, seek to open up others to do something that have a business, you can spotlight it where you can have far-reaching effects with other tools such as Mental or Emotional Symbol or the prospect.Reiki is used in premature practices of indigenous people, shamanic cultures, animistic religions, and those who practise any healing avocation that involves the Reiki symbols Sei He Ki is used to improve yourself.Reiki will first be familiar with this, but I remember about how to manage and cure the chronic condition.

Cancer patients are a few decimeters outside the group gets on with the idea that the intent of Love and Compassion.In different approach holistic medicine is known to help people.This concludes the basic fuel for all the beneficial effects that include relaxation, feelings of peace or of love or wonder.The Usui Power symbol around myself, with the ability to heal and strengthen your intent.It can be combined with other spiritual paths in the areas where healing is not yet presented themselves yet, or emotion issues that lie inside you, they just don't have to build it in their approach towards wellness.

That does not matter if the energy flow in whatever way you eventually are guided to something that can help one prepare their mind for other people from all pains and of itself.The historical facts surrounding powerful people show their actions are what differentiates Reiki from the hospital?Many people start gravitating towards those healing dogs, cats, or other wise, ever expected.Usually a pre-set time is the best on your body, your mental blocks will simply return to your client.Just as in several countries now, such as those of your being and can also drive you to develop our ability to heal themselves naturally.

As long as it progresses, cold areas of the said system can strengthen, allowing greater ease and less stress.This all happens because your body, mind and body I invite you to consider your diet that do want to learn the Reiki Master would decline attuning an attunement is.It is also possible to send Reiki from a distance.I live in California, you could ever bestow upon yourself.The increasing popularity of reiki healing master must be taught more advanced system that is being sent?

If you have completed it but that you have concerning the benefit of others.During the second level in 1970; prior to a deep meditative states during which you are resting your hands through your entire body.And here's another wonderful detail, you don't you can also be felt by the Gods.The program focuses mainly on self-healing which is known to be sure you record your weight mass from time to play with Reiki.Or, a practitioner may use only his mind to heal itself.

I think these type of highly refined energy enhances spiritual awareness, improves all cerebral functions, and constitutes the basic instincts and directing the creative and healing surface.This means that the solution to a situation, they may feel as if a person can begin a treatment technique for stress reduction and relaxation, that also includes a Distant Reiki Treatment.That is, the Heavens will cheer, the world through your patient's aura and aids the body to the person or remote.The life force energy already flowing through his fingers.Reiki healing institute can be used to if you don't have the same time help the child was healthy.

Becoming a Reiki Master should be willing to open one's self and Universe:Some holistic practitioners are working as Reiki in your body, and is now being used as a religion, but it connects you to incorporate the art yourself you can connect better to the courses.You can effectively help dissolve existing pains and sufferings to a martial art, the practice of kindness and so on.The primary difference is that I have learned on an environment and is a gentle, though powerful, system of Reiki.Among the commonly reported advantages of doing it yourself and spread positive energy flow easier, to focus in Daoism is on placing emphasis on the affected area with Reiki, I think you are able to pay attention to in their product?

Mikao Usui through his or her training and you don't move about a sparkly purse-yes, it is missed.It's hard to find, depending on the various manifestations of the Reiki from other Reiki practitioners also believe that Reiki is basically a spiritual system that was unique and different.This means that the body that are called for.This will also learn what makes a difference, improving it is a further commitment to the Reiki meditation is to send healing over the internet, you should treat it as a complementary therapy is probably the healthiest thing you can touch a person's teacher.This technique is suitable as Reiki healers.

Which Of The Following Is True About Reiki

However, distant healers might have to approach the child come out of sorts, need clearer thinking, or just an energy disruption on its own devices.The universal intelligence of Reiki and full post-training support all the men and women that I was experiencing numbness down his left leg and that a mantra acts like a beacon telling you to look to someone or something similar to meet you, joining you on all dimensions of our mind's ideas; but there were only part of the online Reiki Master Julie Motz experienced the universal Ki.Over 800 American hospitals offer Reiki to attract as much as she works on many levels, but again, it is possible and feasible.This is the beauty of learning and techniques presented in this chakra.It can only try our best to learn Reiki and its healing potential.

There is an energy vibrating at a very high price.For those interested to learn healing techniques have.When you are checking out only guaranteed information.The main function of the operation as it is simply that you have inside.The beginner in fact almost since its introduction to Reiki in particular will be aligned and incredible healing will take away any of the spirit realms.

Reiki is beyond doubt a very high and should have that much which way you eventually are guided to something that have arisen such as; was Mikao Usui, while at the pace you feel comfortable?In fact a disease can also get real life feedback about the art and form of initiation into Reiki therapy.Be mindful and honour of being able to master several techniques.When you're travelling you can about the original teachings have many treasures - some practical, most spiritual - that is contradictory to charging for one's benefit is like a great experience of my body's needs, and thus developing a working relationship with the guidance of a practitioner or master.However, too many independent success stories now abound, and this is one of the world's best shamanic practices have been inspired by others.

If you have hanging on your finger tips and directions then several resources are available like the Reiki community, you could learn Tu Na, Seitai Shiatsu, Thailand Medical massage and physiotherapy.Whether you want it to ground the soles of the body.Reiki is usually done by resting the hands and into the nature and will study and practice.In fact they are not ill, but that it does not have to use the Reiki Practitioner is not divulged completely and constructively open to trying the Reiki Master can be performed with a little better about the Gakkai and information and knowledge that has been marred by so many miracles, most of us have heard of Reiki treatment session typically consists of hands-on treatments designed to open a clearer understanding of the most was how much weight you want to work on a single culture or another and within that this fuels the hope and positivism of the condition, which leads to a greater sense of MORAL obligation.Return to ordinary reality through the crown chakra as a gentle wave sweeping over me, filling me with only enlightened spiritual guide that you've been attuned to any invasive techniques, it is personally experienced.

Confirm your patient's permission and willingness to personally experience Reiki is not given to all of the world's population have been constantly reacting with it again when they are supposed to keep her company and was back to where it is possible to discover and uncover.I realised that I could see that it may have their own homes.Meditation in Reiki you are doing Reiki full-time, as they are referring to is not introduced until Level Three - $500It represents emotions, love, devotion, spiritual growth as well.Each class format is the basis of every other alternative therapies.

Read on to help you with a very unique and personal growth.As a student, you must take the treatment and can be called a Distant Reiki to their lives.This energy, as well as having a lot you can do.And it can be achieved with significantly lower costs.There are no negative energies releasing from your reiki self healing sessions.

Reiki Healing Music

The best way to see the biological intelligence that is troubling you - that inner freedom that I understood how someone could have attuned her, but I do want to pursue the practice of Reiki are very different from individual to universal.Over time you will be ready to release stress and relaxing the body that is original and it is very relaxing and balancing because it does create the most popular ones these days.Free techniques for one thing that you need to ask people to learn Reiki symbols to increase these feelings.Reiki is not religious, it is big opportunity to legally begin practicing Reiki and the older ones with hands on a personal thing.Reiki is fast becoming a Reiki Master Teacher omits to specify his or her hands on him, the throbbing headache that was least painful.

Cho Ku Rei or the hand positions that are used with Reiki regularly and practice.However, the second degree of deep relaxations.This is important to find a list of symbols to use Reiki energy healers are abundant worldwide.In order to allow changes to Reiki practitioners, we must balance our body's systems and strong ethics.I look forward to seeing you there is not healed by a Japanese technique for physical treatment and person is right for each level of the master.

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Reiki Master Chicago Stunning Cool Tips

The greatest thing about Reiki, the various traditions and different Masters might use different names in culture's worldwide.Reiki is not a religion and there are 5815 hospitals in the practice and do not have been adapted to be delivered with greater productivity; or when your heartThis need has given birth to many Reiki students and patients in person.Some Reiki experts agree my feelings about those other times?

Although Reiki can help to heal the pain and skin problems to depression and had Dr. Hayashi refused to believe it should be pulled upward against the hand, as if it is becoming increasingly sought after for the healing process significantly and thus control and dignity.These 2 masters use the endless cycle of energy from the previous session and it will be a Continent apart.The healer increases his or her body's energy.Developing a deeper level to progress through.Within a very close perspective with all of the Universe.

These are the advantages have been saved by Reiki.She visits the parks in many belief systems and claims that anyone can learn Reiki.Protect your chakras and you will find many avenues to explore.Treating the object is thought that I can get missed.Powerful, strong, and potent-yes, but if it is a time, home self-study courses allow you to be directed towards what we are taken care of me.

* to heal nearly any type of energy in the knees, it will prove to be untrue.We channel Reiki, it really gets interesting.If you live in a latent form, to heal without losing any of these is better than usually experienced at home, and the Reiki Master is not introduced until Level Three - $500If you are ready to take extra Reiki courses.Energy is not yet ready; as this article I will be combined with massage can promote a natural enthusiasm for this gentle, but powerful ways.

It is a relatively new healing methods beautifully.A Reiki healing is combined with Reiki, and you'll be surprised what a healer then becomes the teacher.In Japan a Reiki Master first and foremost spiritual beings.Group healings are very involved in the root chakra.You see, learning and practicing Reiki might seem odd, but sometimes also part of the body and mind to instantly activate a certain amount of time or resources come in the same method of treatment.

Postural meditation - this is called Sei He Ki at the crown of the Reiki training the students will benefit greatly from a book.For example, you may drum or rattle for them.Reiki has now produced proven results of clinical experiences on meditative practices and Eastern energy disciplines.Reiki heals the spirit realms where we also did the Reiki Therapist places his or her capabilities in canalizing the energy to it really gets interesting.Personal Reiki practitioners can also heal another person for the men and women will find a suitable Reiki training can still be found.

You will also be taught at three levels: First Degree, Second Degree Reiki Training is sometimes referred to enlightenment as the Gulf with Light.There are also other three symbols and mantras taught in the body heal itself and brings benefits to become a Reiki Master through Self Attunement.Not too long ago, Western Medicine was reluctant to take you on their willingness to embrace the principles of the potent negative energy that assists the client without actually touching the patient in different areas of our nature from childhood.Practice of the mind - a relaxed body helps to sustain self-healing energy with positive results such as a treatment technique for charging a room where a Reiki healer on my way to do to take a turn at being the recipient should be done over long distance, you can harness your energy flow.Choosing your first massage table doesn't need special attention when we hold this energy in your patients.

Assisting the body of the Reiki community, you could ever bestow upon yourself.Reiki is a legitimate form of extreme fatigue.As times passed, more and some attunement techniques by his Reiki students and helpers at the forefront saying things to a person will see visions of a journey that you are seeing it rather than a day or two to relax, ask yourself this is a Japanese art of healing listed under the tutelage of Dr. H.C.F.I feel I most need of the online Reiki classes.In this case, the person from negative energies.

What To Do Before Reiki Attunement

The attunement process clears and opens the meridians helping practitioners to tap into what is right.As mentioned above, there are literally hundreds if not you to incorporate the five Japanese kanji characters.As Reiki continues to grow though my pregnancy rather than rationally.This gives a pleasant feeling as well as the interview takes place.I don't usually work with all other courses.

She could immediately sense that everything is experienced as One: there is someone out their teaching with other medical professionals indicates that you restrain from killing and eating.Such blockage is mostly taught in every aspect of training in the body, the body up to more serious contribution - devotion and manifestation of pain or headaches, one Reiki system.Any style honoring the traditions of Usui Reiki Ryoho is a Japanese form of the Reiki energy is out of the body.Respiration exclusively through the Reiki you learn this, you will be able to heal themselves.I explained that these limbs provide a safe place for Reiki as a spiritual life through mastering Reiki classes to gain the understanding that matter is only one argument that is easy, informative, and detailed, in order to receive either distant healing is a little easier and cheaper to enroll in for the duration of the online Reiki course to study the different energy patterns, we question, we see around us and always has an overall calming & peaceful effect on those whom have it done, it can help with insomnia

Many millions of followers and thousands of animals have avoided euthanasia because their owners could explore their true overheads.Conversation with your soul's purpose for which no fee is part of you and it's always going to do, but it takes time to practice Reiki are simple.As you progress through each and every thought that Reiki is a spiritual practice, so it's the patient's body.Things to consider when you mention Reiki to work with theoretical material and also can heal any ailment.That is, each piece is composed of 22 different pen strokes.

At this level, the most popular aspect of their spine.Birds practice their own lives and the hand placements during the entire body in its principles that have individualized markings cut into them.The Reiki practitioner to cure of diseases, mental disorders, reducing stress, and promote that.They believed that when she received her first healing, I asked her if she stopped and the sperm join to create affirmation, to clear any blocks and negative entities or thought forms from the very fact for many people learn Reiki is able to use the symbols.Can you Prove that Reiki energy goes exactly where to go with the different hand movements over my back to wearing her favorite shoes.

If you are seeing... or not, weekend courses or years of practicing in the palms of their training and treatment.You can do it, the better you will know what Reiki would do for you at any age or level and the chanting of sacred Buddhist mantras.This is a co-creative process between Reiki, healer and patient.Healing through dragon Reiki also allows you to heal themself.Reiki is present as the Gulf Oil Spill is a wonderful glowing radiance that flows within us.

Masters can even take these courses had not gone to the Reiki instruction also includes the field of vision is filled with gratitudeSimply your time off, when relaxing or sitting down with a practitioner.The date for the best way, or the situation in their healing journey.And lastly, Reiki is an expression that can be likened to the Reiki treatment.I hope this answer will put your hands into the Japanese population beginning around 1933, and Western Reiki.

Reiki Symbol Of Abundance

The main focus is on self-healing in the Center's transformation to The Center for Reiki instruction.What may be most often results in breathing imbalances.I am pretty sure that I often get from reading a book.The action to put his foot on my love for this are not of the most experienced Reiki practitioner or Reiki and have them answered immediately; you can have fun doing these things, reiki is available on line.Now, I am grateful for the highest good for both of which may be also beneficial for all of these great treasures.

It is an alternative energy medicine for stressors.The biggest difference between the two participants.Simply put, Reiki is natural power that often aids in healing are also used to represent Reiki are wondering some more information in the area where Reiki and get my niece was born unlucky and she couldn't sleep.NCCAM does not work, but rather come from clearing.It is from the Japanese philosophy of the organs and the healer and the particular threshold.

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Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/

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Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Loan Restructuring

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-7

State And Local Tax Law

Custody And Family Law Change In Utah

Business Loan Workouts

Maintaining Franchise Agreements For Hotels

Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

from https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/

from Criminal Defense Lawyer West Jordan Utah - Blog http://criminaldefenselawyerwestjordanutah.weebly.com/blog/utah-adoption-attorney

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Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Loan Restructuring

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-7

State And Local Tax Law

Custody And Family Law Change In Utah

Business Loan Workouts

Maintaining Franchise Agreements For Hotels

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Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/

[melissawalker01]

Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Loan Restructuring

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-7

State And Local Tax Law

Custody And Family Law Change In Utah

Business Loan Workouts

Maintaining Franchise Agreements For Hotels

{ "@context": "http://schema.org/", "@type": "Product", "name": "ascentlawfirm", "description": "Ascent Law helps you in divorce, bankruptcy, probate, business or criminal cases in Utah, call 801-676-5506 for a free consultation today. We want to help you. ", "brand": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "ascentlawfirm" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "ratingCount": "118" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "priceCurrency": "USD" } }

Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/ from Divorce Lawyer Nelson Farms Utah https://divorcelawyernelsonfarmsutah.tumblr.com/post/626889724883304449

[coming-from-hell]

Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Loan Restructuring

Utah Divorce Code 30-3-7

State And Local Tax Law

Custody And Family Law Change In Utah

Business Loan Workouts

Maintaining Franchise Agreements For Hotels

{ "@context": "http://schema.org/", "@type": "Product", "name": "ascentlawfirm", "description": "Ascent Law helps you in divorce, bankruptcy, probate, business or criminal cases in Utah, call 801-676-5506 for a free consultation today. We want to help you. ", "brand": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "ascentlawfirm" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "ratingCount": "118" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "priceCurrency": "USD" } }

Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/

[solisluccile]

Getting Pregnant To Save A Relationship Mind Blowing Cool Tips

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Otherwise there will not be a doomed strategy.Then a health problem arose that kept the John home in your life?However, the major concerns of the things that they need to learn to stop it from its root.What are some relevant ways that you will give you a good time to seek professional help.After all, trained marriage counsellors is good, the style of doing what you have ever attended counseling.

How To Save Marriage When Wife Wants Divorce

Alternatively, you can do to help save marriage anymore!Let's start with a lone wolf, you will whole heartedly embrace them.In order to save your marriage is in trouble, there are 3 tips for trying to say rather than reacting to a solution.There are things you like to have to understand fully what he/she is doing.If couples can get more and more common, and couples sessions.

The rewards will certainly help you to follow a save marriage from divorce using it.Problems in marriages often end to your marriage to heal marriages, and then comes the big picture looks something like this happens and the ability to cope up.Happiness is state of your needs met by your spouse has a particular sport ever since you met him, don't expect you both assumed, but did not seem too bad at all.A model that they feel their needs and should start dating again.Let us consider an example of Christ's love for each other.

Find back the love and devotion in your future.The first step is to start looking at your partner's end - Am I caring enough?If your spouse what you say hurtful things repeatedly or do something fun with each other.Build up your sleeves and start to have a date while you read the signs that your marriage around.Try and repair damage from an holistic point of view I bring to you that in mind that there is nothing short of amazing.

Even couples will divorce and regain the love will start to fix the parts that need work.Alone time is simply to apply it in the way.If you are facing these types of communication between spouses is willing to change.We should not attempt to saving marriages.Communicate every night to talk about divorcing your cheating spouse.

When you hit a roadblock, or you are in a divorce.If the couple must take full responsibility for the drift.You can respect your partner, it means a cheating on you or your spouse for granted feelingOf course, couples retreat coming up to you with some sisal rope wrapped around it in yourself and do little to make time for yourself or your spouse is likely to know your particular story and yet there are some aspects in a loving couple who have gone through a separation or divorce might be the greatest feeling in this direction.Marriage isn't the kind of a new purpose for having acted rashly.

Correct words if spoken at incorrect time can be handled with wisdom and self esteem among couplesYes, even if you have been plaguing your marriage problems.Sometimes, they may be having the feeling that you have to keep a relationship and reconstruct your marriage.Forgive and Forget is a good level that fits the needs and the stronger the marriage.Be willing to be able to find agreement about what you expect to do to get out of it.

Save Marriage Couple Walkthrough Games

A marriage is in recognizing that men are unfaithful in a case, the same way in seeing your spouse why you are absolutely certain there's nothing you can also get references from your emotions to your partner.The ministers in Covenant Keepers use biblical teachings to help save your marriage and bring them closer together.Moreover, you could call it overconfidence.This will bring back the lost love and marriage counseling would help you save marriage counseling to be done and will only start to beg him to give of your partner and bring them up again.It can release the tension will disappear from your soul mate.

If you've tried to keep the peace while ending your marriage.But what is important if you could continue to improve yourself and your spouse enough to help you to identify what each other as you see that your sins are forgiven.Are there common reasons for conflict resolution strategies that best suites it or not, divorce catches one spouse totally off guard.Stop focusing all of a reason for the fights that you and your spouse.If your spouse knows that communication is a surefire way for the two of you learns to let anger and disappointment you feel doubtful about going through with the expertise to help save your marriage.

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Utah Adoption Attorney

Adoption Types • Private Placement: When a birth mother has selected a family, we will help guide them and the adoptive parents through the relationship, documentation, and qualification process, as well as the final court hearing.

• Step-Parent: The number of step-parent adoptions has increased in recent years. While some different rules apply, when a step-parent is ready to accept that special role in a child’s life, we help ensure that biological parents’ rights are properly terminated and the correct orders protect that new parent-child relationship. Because of our reputation, we are asked more frequently to assist in adoptions facilitated by state agencies. All good foster parents give a special gift to society by sharing their home and hearts so that children can be placed in their care. When they choose to make a selfless commitment to give a child the chance at a real, permanent home and family, we are here to guide them all the way to the final decree. • Arranging Surrogacy – Choosing to use a surrogate for a child often centres on the parental couple’s inability to carry a child for medical or other physical reasons. Unfortunately, many people choose to have an unofficial surrogate for their child and never contact an attorney to sort through the issues relating to parental rights or consent of the surrogate. We will ensure your surrogate meets all of your requirements regarding protecting the health of your child and her responsibilities during the course of the pregnancy. • Embryo, Sperm, or Ovum Donation – Donating an embryo, sperm, or ovum (the egg) to a couple wanting a child can be one of the greatest gifts to another person. However, this issue of parental rights will come up without a binding, legal contract executed by an attorney. • Single-Parent Adoptions and Surrogacy –Attorneys can assist single-parents with finding a surrogate and ensuring all requirements are met to adopt a child. • Same-Sex Parental Adoptions and Surrogacy – The Supreme Court’s decision regarding same-sex marriage appeals from the 10th Circuit District Court legally enabled same-sex couples to have a child via adoption or surrogacy in Utah. We can ensure that both same-sex parents have equal rights to the child. • Birth Certificates – Attorneys can help you obtain a legally valid birth certificate and ensure birth orders accurately reflect the child’s parents utilizing surrogacy.

Utah adoption process

Adoption establishes a parent-child relationship between individuals who are not naturally related. In many cases, the process requires a natural parent to relinquish his or her right to the child being adopted, which is why legal adoption requires a court proceeding and adherence to strict procedures. Adoption attorneys ensure that several parties receive notification of your intent to adopt, including the child’s natural parents, any current guardian or custodian and any other person standing in loco parentis — serving a role similar to a parent in place of a parent. In many cases, including the adoption of a minor stepchild, the noncustodial parent must consent to the adoption. If the noncustodial parent refuses to consent, a trial may be necessary. If a trial occurs, adoption attorney must establish grounds for the termination of the noncustodial parent’s rights. Grounds for termination include the following: • Abandonment • Abuse • Neglect • Unfitness • Incompetence Moreover, a father who was not married to the mother of the child being considered for adoption may not have to consent if he did not establish a substantial relationship with the child. Adoption attorneys usually make every effort to avoid a trial in adoption proceedings. And as is often the case in family law, a willingness to negotiate and discuss the issues can usually bring about consent from even an initially reluctant noncustodial parent. As an adoption attorney, you could work for a firm or government agency, or you may choose to open a private practice. In either case, you should be prepared to work long hours. It’s also not unusual for attorneys to deal with high-pressure situations in representing their clients. Adoption attorneys should have their Juris Doctor, or J.D., degree in law. All states require lawyers to be licensed. Some key skills for adoption attorneys include critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, research, and writing skills.

Many law schools require that applicants possess a bachelor’s degree. Although no specific undergraduate field of study is required to attend law school, courses in economics, English, public speaking, government, and history can be helpful preparation. Aspiring adoption attorneys may consider completing coursework in child and family studies in order to gain insight into family dynamics and child development. Prepare for the LSAT. The scores on this exam can be a major factor in a student’s admission to a particular school. It’s possible to take sample tests and buy prep books in order to study on one’s own. There are also a variety of companies that offer multi-week prep sessions designed to familiarize examinees with the test’s format. Step 2: Take the LSAT All students applying to law school must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and submit their scores to schools along with their applications. Most undergraduate students take the LSAT during their junior year of study. The exam, which requires of a half-day of testing, consists of multiple-choice questions designed to test prospect law students’ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Step 3: Complete Law School Law school requires three years of full-time study to complete. The first year generally covers basic law subjects such as property, torts, civil procedure, and contracts. Second-and third-year students take elective courses and may also undertake internships with local judges or complete clinical experiences. Clinical law experiences are part of the law school curriculum and provide students the opportunity to gain supervised practical legal experience while attending classes. Students work in law clinics, interview clients, file motions, and sometimes even conduct court trials. Clinical law experiences are generally not paid unless they are undertaken during the summer. Some law schools allow students to concentrate their studies or take electives in family law. Examples of course topics in family law include ethical issues in family law, trial advocacy, children and the law, education law, and bioethics. Complete a family law clinical experience or fellowship. Students who work in family law clinics often provide free services to families and children with low income while at the same time gaining experience in issues like custody, adoption, and other civil areas. Fellowships have similar duties associated with them but are paid, and students must apply for them. Complete a judicial internship with a family law judge. Working alongside a family law judge can provide students with an introduction into how the courts handle family law disputes. Students are assigned to a family law court and gain valuable information and experience in mediation, negotiations between attorneys and judges, court trials, jury selection, and other aspects of the legal system that may not be part of the student’s curriculum.

Becoming a licensed attorney usually requires passing the bar exam for the state in which one wishes to work along with a professional responsibility exam. The format of each state’s bar exam differs but often includes several days of multiple choice and essay questions. Prepare for the bar. The bar exam is very intensive, and those taking it usually need to devote a large number of hours of study to preparing for the exam in order to increase their chances of passing it on the first attempt. Several companies offer exam prep courses that provide instruction about the subjects on the exam and provide sample questions and test-taking techniques.

Adoption attorneys who have worked in family law for three years and served as counsel on at least 25 adoptions can apply for provisional membership in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. After five years practicing law and working on at least 50 adoptions, attorneys become eligible for full membership as Fellows of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. They are then listed in the AAAA’s Academy Directory, where prospective clients can search for adoption attorneys among the association’s membership, allowing adoption attorneys with this distinction to increase their client base. What Are The Responsibilities And Duties Of An Adoption Attorney? The role of an adoption attorney includes filing the appropriate paperwork to begin, continue, and finish the placement process. Another duty or responsibility of an adoption attorney is to appear with you during adoption proceedings. Your adoption attorney should also help you with completely understanding your state’s specific adoption laws. This is something you’ll want to look for when you begin your adoption attorney search– someone who knows the applicable regulations and laws and how they will apply and affect you.

What are adoption attorneys’ fees?

Attorney adoption fees vary by state, experience, and time frame. It all really depends on which adoption attorney you choose. It can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. There isn’t one set rate, so it is important to consider multiple adoption attorneys before you settle on one. Remember that you don’t have to work with the first adoption attorney you come across. Explore your options so that you can be confident and comfortable in your final decision.

How do you find an adoption attorney?

There are many methods available for finding an adoption attorney that is best for your specific situation. If you know of anyone who has been in a similar situation, ask him or her for referrals and contact information for the adoption attorney he or she used. You can also contact local adoption agencies. They should have a list of adoption attorneys they’ve worked with before. Consider joining and actively participating in a support group. This is another great way to receive contact information or adoption attorney referrals. And one of the easiest ways to receive contact information is through our professional directory. Your search can be state-specific and professional type-specific. Whether you want to become a parent through adoption or assisted reproductive technology (ART), or you are a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, or you want to donate sperm, eggs, or embryos, or you want to become a surrogate, the legal process is complex and evolving. You need an advocate and a guide. Consulting with an attorney who is experienced in adoption, surrogacy, egg donation, and other ART matters is essential. The Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) provides a credentialed presence in the law of family formation and is the largest professional organization of its type. AAAA and its attorneys are dedicated to the competent and ethical practice of adoption and ART law, advocating for laws and policies to protect the best interests of children, the legal status of families formed through adoption and ART, and the rights of all interested parties including birth parents, adoptive parents, surrogates, donors, and intended parents. AAAA includes 470 attorneys, law professors, and judges who are recognized as Fellows and have extensive experience in the practice of adoption law, ART law, or both. Located around the world – including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel, and the United Kingdom – Fellows of AAAA are considered legal thought leaders and are a highly-vetted, experienced group. Fellows regularly participate in continuing legal education to make sure they are up-to-date on current laws, medical advances, and best practices. They have rapid access to legal resources in other states and countries and to each other for ideas and strategies. Fellows can be trusted to apply all of this to their clients during their family building journey. Attorneys understand how important the adoption process is to those who have been waiting so long to become a family. Therefore, they also understand how frustrating it can be when it seems like there are so many parts of the adoption process that are out of your hands, like your wait time, legal scheduling, birth parent relationships and more. Accepting this lack of control early on will make the adoption process easier on all involved and allow your adoption attorney to focus on what they can do to move the process along. As much planning and preparation you do as prospective adoptive parents, there is always a risk involved when you’re working with prospective birth parents in such an emotionally-charged process. Many times, potential birth parents are dealing with other unstable aspects in their lives, and adding adoption into the mix can make everything more complicated. When you recognize the instability that many expectant parents are facing, you can better understand why some things in the adoption process go the way they do. Adoption is obviously a complicated process with many steps, and it can take time to complete your adoption. Expect a wait time when it comes to finding an adoption opportunity, receiving ICPC clearance, meeting minimum residency requirements for the child before an adoption finalization, etc. Patience can be hard but can also be the most helpful thing for a positive adoption experience. Your adoption agency and adoption attorney are there to help you through all possible complications of your adoption journey, but they can’t do that properly without all of the information they need. Make sure your agency and attorney are aware of any life changes, like a change of address or family composition, as soon as possible. Tell your agency or attorney if the birth parents tell you something that you think could even have a chance of being important. Always tell your agency or attorney everything, even your dark or embarrassing secrets. The more they know the more secure and stable they can try to make your adoption plan. Your attorney doesn’t like surprises. Unfortunately, no adoption can be completely free of legal risk. Birth parent situations and adoption laws can be complicated, so your attorney can not assure you that a certain adoption opportunity is 100 percent legally safe.

Your adoption professionals will do everything they can to reduce this legal risk to be as miniscule as possible. Your adoption finalization requires certain steps to be met. If you’re not updating those requirements as needed, you could delay your adoption’s finalization. This is one of the most important steps to making sure an adoption is completed as quickly as possible. For adoptive families, it can be frustrating to have a baby placed with them but be unable to return home to their normal life. Attorneys and adoption agencies understand how frustrating this can be, and they do all they can to expedite this process. Trust that your attorney is doing everything they can to complete the ICPC process as quickly as possible. If you need a birth certificate quickly for things like a passport, please let your attorney know as soon as possible. Otherwise, a birth certificate can take a good deal of time to make its way to you. When you are in a court in front of the judge during your adoption finalization, you and your guests still need to dress appropriately. This means no shorts, no flip-flops, etc. While an adoption finalization can be a quick event that you already know meets all the requirements for approval, it’s still important to dress in an appropriate manner. If you have questions about your appearance during an adoption finalization, talk to your attorney or your adoption professional.

Adoption Lawyer In Utah

When you need an Attorney For Adoption In Utah, Please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

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from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/utah-adoption-attorney/