Raymond W. Godwin is an adoption lawyer based in South Carolina.
Video Raymond W. Godwin
Biography
Godwin earned a BA from Bob Jones University and JD from the University of South Carolina Law School. Godwin practiced corporate law in New Jersey, from 1982 until he began his private practice in Greenville, South Carolina in 1993. Godwin had two adopted daughters, Erika and Elizabeth. He is described as a "devout" Christian and is a member of the Christian Adoption Service.
Maps Raymond W. Godwin
Publications
Godwin co-authored two books with Laura Beauvais, who earned a master's degree in public health from The University of South Carolina. The Independent Adoption Manual provides extensive information on the process of "independent adoption," also called "personal adoption," facilitated by lawyers or physicians. This book was published by The AdvocatePress in New Jersey in 1993. The nearly 400-page manual covers a wide range of adoption issues, including the amount of private adoption typically costs, how to avoid "bidding wars," and that "adoptive parents should not pay mothers for their babies own.... "
The Complete Adoption Book: Everything You Need to Know to Adopt a Child , co-authored by Godwin and Beauvais, is now available in its third edition. Nearly 700 pages, this has been described as "the most comprehensive and authoritative adoption book you can use to guide you through the [adoption] process." The Family Law website describes this book as a "must-have resource" and "probably the most complete [book] of its kind." It provides comprehensive information on the adoption process, both domestically and internationally.
Awards
"Angels in Adoption Award." In 2010 Godwin and Beauvais were rewarded by Senator Jim Demint at the Congressional Coalition at the 12th Annual Adoption Institute Anniversary in a three-day Adoption Adoption Institute in Washington, DC The award "celebrates [s] individuals across the country working to improve children's lives. children in family needs. "The Godwins were honored for their" extensive work with the adoption process across the state. "
Godwin handled the adoption of identical twin twins from California mothers to a South Carolina couple, Jeff and Rebecca Bates, in 2008. The Bates were later awarded Angels in Adoption, as they were believed to be the first couple to adopt a triplet in southern Karolina.
Raymond Godwin is accredited by the Better Business Bureau
Adoption controversy
Native American adoption
Baby Veronika
Godwin has been involved in two controversial adoptions of Native American children to white families. In the case of "Baby Veronica", he facilitated the private adoption of the Cherokee child into a white family over the biological child and tribal biological objections. During the trial in Charleston, South Carolina, the biological mother testified that if the documents were filled correctly with the name of the biological father spelled correctly and the child was correctly identified as an Indian child, the Cherokee tribe might intervene. Godwin is a lawyer for the adoptive couple, not for the birth mother.
Godwin said the US Supreme Court ruling, which decided to benefit him, "provides a road map for Indian-born fathers to follow if they want to protect their rights under ICWA, such as paying pre-delivery fees, taking mothers to doctors and assisting in hospitals. "
Deseray Baby
In the case of "Baby Deseray", Godwin represents a white family in an attempt to adopt Shawnee's son over biological father's son and tribal objections. In this case, the prospective adoptive parents, Bobby and Diane Bixler, are issuing a child from Oklahoma without an Intregate for Placement of Children (ICPC) document or obeying Oklahoma state law on child transfer. Godwin has been quoted as stating, "Just because the biological father is a sperm donor and has no biological relationship under the law establishing custody." Godwin did admit that Bixlers did take Deseray from Oklahoma without complying with ICPC or Oklahoma state law. There is no allegation that Godwin had prior knowledge of illegal displacement or unethical acts.
Attorney General for the Shawnee tribe in Oklahoma noted that Bixlers "actually paid their money and parted with the boy..." Godwin denied this, claiming that the Bixlers only went to protect the work of the alleged adoptive father. Oklahoma Judge Allen Welch has ordered the boy's return to Oklahoma. Tribal lawyers in South Carolina have noted that since South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley insisted that Oklahoma obeyed the South Carolina court order in Baby Veronica's case, it is now time for South Carolina to comply with an Oklahoma court order for Baby Deseray. In addition, lawyers contracted by Godwin in Oklahoma have written to Godwin, demanding the boy's immediate return to Oklahoma, saying, "Since your clients choose to quietly ignore the law, my position is that they have all the responsibility to keep to the child safely until they give up the physical custody of the child and have no right to the child's physical detention. "
On October 16, 2013, two grown sons of Bixler advanced and charged that they were rude parents who should not be allowed to raise children anymore. In October 2013, Michael A. Nomura, the Oklahoma Administrator of ICPC, approved ICPC Deseray on a retroactive basis, raising ethical and conflict of interest issues. Nomura agrees to ICPC even though he knows the court order directing him back to Oklahoma and the tribe. On October 28, 2013, Deseray was expelled from Bixler by South Carolina and placed in makeshift emergency foster care.
Connection with adoption agent
In both cases, the lawyer for a white family is Raymond W. Godwin. Godwin's wife Laura Beauvais-Godwin is director of the Virginianight Southern Adoptions Greenville office, South Carolina, the agency that provides a biological background report for the "Veronica" case. The American Bar Association has noted that "an independent lawyer from an agency is a key component to ethical adoption." The South Carolina Bar does not have that requirement.
Call for federal investigation
Attorney General Shawnee, Charles Tripp, has asked the Department of Justice to investigate a series of adoptions. Tripp stated that an investigation is needed to end the "trafficking of our tribal children in South Carolina." The call for this investigation has been followed by NAACP Charleston's branch president, Dot Scott, "to ensure that the civil rights of these children and their biological father have not been violated."
Reeves adoption
In 2008, little girlfriend Craig Reeves discovered she was pregnant. He puts the child to adoption and the adoption lawyer lawyer (Godwin) reportedly advised the mother not to receive money from Reeves. Almost a year later Reeves filed an action with the South Carolina Family Court for the adoption contest. The court's duty is to determine whether approval is necessary for adoption or not. The decision is based on whether or not Reeves takes on parental responsibility for the child during pregnancy, especially by providing financial support. The biological mother testified that Godwin as an adoption lawyer advised her not to accept money from Reeves. However, in court the real mother "admits she is dishonest to the Father, Counselor, adoption agency, and litem ad guardian...." In addition, "the South Carolina Supreme Court found that the adoption agency is not really instructs the mother to deny the support of the [[biological] Petitioner. "Furthermore, the US Supreme Court ruled that whether the biological mother refused or denied the money from her real father based on the actual advice is" irrelevant, since both of them have the same effect as far as the Petitioner [biological father] is concerned. "Although the South Carolina Family Court found that Reeves had made considerable efforts to provide support, the decision was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court and the son returned to his adoptive parents.
Exit from country adoption
In April 2006, a 20-year-old woman in Illinois contacted an adoption agency about her child's placement for adoption. Godwin, as an agency lawyer, fits it with foster parents in South Carolina. The adoptive parents hired an Illinois lawyer, Denise Patton, to arrange a custody transfer. The boy was born on June 16, 2006 and on June 19 the Illinois court appointed Patton's guardian to complete the transfer of a child to South Carolina. After adoptive parents submitted an adoption in South Carolina, the biological father learned about prospective adoption and filed a motion in an Illinois court to assert his rights, noting that he had never been told about birth due to the biological mother's deception. The boy is temporarily returning to a biological father, but custody is finally awarded to a South Carolina couple after a South Carolina court arrests a biological mother in court humiliation.
Footnote
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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