The decision to grow a family through surrogacy is a courageous and life-changing choice for both intended parents and gestational carriers. However, navigating the legal path in Indiana requires a specialized touch.
In Indiana, surrogacy contracts are technically considered “void and unenforceable” under state statute (IC §31-20-1-1). While this might sound daunting, it doesn’t rule out surrogacy, it simply means that surrogacy may require more logistical planning, and having an expert surrogacy lawyer is essential.
At Foster + Bloom, we transform this complexity into a clear, secure strategy, ensuring that every participant is protected.
Why You Need a Surrogacy Attorney in Indiana
Because of Indiana’s legal status for surrogacy, you need a lawyer for the protection of everyone involved.
A surrogacy lawyer provides the guidance you need to ensure your path to parenthood is unobstructed. For surrogates, we provide attorney support to advocate for your health, compensation, and boundaries.
When should you consult a surrogacy lawyer?
Ideally before any medical procedures begin and certainly before a contract is signed.
What’s Included in a Surrogacy Contract?
A gestational carrier agreement lawyer at Foster + Bloom drafts comprehensive documents that serve as the roadmap for your journey.
A high-quality Indiana surrogacy contract lawyer will ensure the following are addressed:
- Financial Terms: Detailed schedules for compensation, expenses, and insurance premiums.
- Medical Decisions: Agreements on prenatal care, delivery plans, and contingency protocols.
- Parental Rights: Clear language establishing the intended parents’ intent to be the sole legal parents.
- Behavioral Expectations: Mutually agreed-upon lifestyle guidelines during the pregnancy.
- Dispute Resolution: How the parties will navigate disagreements if they arise.
What Surrogacy Attorneys Do for Intended Parents
As a lawyer for intended parents in surrogacy, our primary focus is the security of your future. We handle the critical legal filings required to bring your baby home with confidence and help you make strategic decisions like where to file for parentage and where to find a surrogate.
For Indiana residents, some steps may take place out of state, but because we work across state lines, we can help you.
The filings we help with include:
- Contract Drafting: Creating a personalized surrogacy agreement that will hold up in court.
- Parentage Orders: Filing for a pre-birth order of parentage can help secure your names on the initial birth certificate.
- State-Specific Guidance: Navigating which Indiana counties are most supportive of surrogacy-related filings to ensure a smooth judgment of parentage in Indiana.
What Surrogacy Attorneys Do for Gestational Carriers
We believe every surrogate deserves independent, high-quality legal advocacy. A surrogacy attorney for a gestational carrier ensures that the agreement is fair and that the surrogate’s rights are never sidelined.
We focus on:
- Informed Consent: Ensuring you fully understand every legal and medical implication.
- Boundary Protection: Legally formalizing your right to bodily autonomy.
- Compensation Security: Ensuring funds are held in a secure escrow and paid according to the surrogacy agreement guidelines.
- Surrogacy Agreement Review: A surrogacy agreement attorney will help you understand the full weight of every part of your surrogacy agreement and make sure that it is written fairly.
Legal Services for Independent Surrogacy Journeys
If you have matched with a friend or family member without an agency, you may need an independent surrogacy contract.
In these cases, our attorneys act as neutral facilitators to bridge the gap between parties. We provide the same level of legal excellence as agency-led journeys, ensuring your independent surrogacy contract is professional, clear, and respects the existing relationship between the parties.
Legal Protections for Same-Sex and LGBTQ+ Parents
Foster + Bloom is a champion for modern families. We serve as a lawyer for same-sex couple surrogacy, and address unique hurdles such as non-genetic parentage order surrogacy.
For many LGBTQ+ families, we may also recommend a second parent adoption surrogacy to ensure your parental rights are recognized not just in Indiana, but in all 50 states and internationally.
Choosing the Right Surrogacy Attorney in Indiana
When searching for a surrogacy lawyer nearby, consider both experience and transparency. While the surrogacy lawyer cost can vary based on the complexity of the journey, we provide clear, upfront communication regarding fees. You should look for a firm that:
- Focuses on family-building law.
- Has a deep understanding of local Indiana court procedures.
- Provides compassionate, straightforward communication.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether you are an intended parent dreaming of your future child or a surrogate ready to give the gift of family, we are here to guide you.
From the initial surrogacy agreement and parentage order to the final surrogacy birth certificate amendment steps, Foster + Bloom is your partner in this journey.