Why Gary Shirley’s Lawyer Believes Amber Portwood ‘Deserted’ Leah

On Thursday’s episode of Teen Mother: The Subsequent Chapter, Gary met with a lawyer to debate the potential of Leah getting adopted by his spouse, Kristina, after his daughter expressed how she needs to be adopted by her stepmom amid her estrangement from Amber.

And based on the legal professional, they’ve “actually a superb case for adoption.”

Earlier than Gary and Kristina went to go to the legal professional, Trina Saunders, Gary shared his ideas and issues in a confessional.

“With the potential of Kristina adopting Leah, I am completely on board. It isn’t as simple as signing a verify or snapping your fingers; there’s lots concerned,” stated Gary, who was granted full custody of Leah in 2011.

“We’ve to go to court docket. That places a number of strain on her,” he continued. “After which, what if her mother simply abruptly begins to take her, you already know? It is a pressure on me. It is a pressure on poor Leah. I am not right here to harm Amber, however she should not be right here to harm Leah, both.”

“Any person’s gonna get damage,” Gary added. “And the individual [who’s] hurting essentially the most proper now could be Leah. I am ensuring my child does not undergo.”

Whereas it was already recognized to viewers that Amber and Leah have been estranged, Gary advised the legal professional that Amber has solely seen Leah “4 days” within the “previous 12 months.”

When Saunders requested about little one assist, Gary stated that it is not “enforced by the court docket,” and claimed Amber is “behind” on funds.

And based on Saunders, within the court docket’s eyes, Amber’s absence in Leah’s life is taken into account “abandonment.”

“As a result of she’s not had any vital contact together with her mom during the last six months, that is deemed as abandonment,” the lawyer advised Gary and Kristina.

“I believe that adoption can be your best choice, as a result of in an adoption that severs that parent-child relationship that she has together with her mom, and you’ll develop into her mom, and also you additionally can be positioned on the beginning certificates as her mom,” Saunders stated to Kristina.

“But when we are able to present that [Amber’s] deserted her daughter, then we do not want her mother’s consent,” she added.

Whereas Gary admitted that he thinks Amber would “contest” the adoption, Saunders famous that she believes that if it went to court docket, they’d “be capable of present” that Amber has “not been” in Leah’s life, “she’s not supplied for her financially, [and] she’s not had vital contact together with her in over six months.”

“I believe you’ve got a extremely good case for adoption,” she acknowledged.

Though Gary admitted that that is “not one thing we wished to do,” he is involved about Leah’s well-being if one thing had been to occur to him.

“I do not see Amber being what Leah wants,” he stated. “I must know that if one thing occurs to me, Leah’s protected.”

The legal professional stated the “timeline” can be about “60 days” to start out the adoption course of.

Later within the episode, Gary and Kristina sat down with Leah, and relayed the data they acquired on the appointment.

Gary stated if “every little thing was to go easily,” the adoption “may take three months.” Nonetheless, he advised Leah that if “Amber contests then it may take like a 12 months, it may take longer.”

“I believe the purpose right here is to be sure you’re wholesome and joyful and brought care of and you’ve got what you need,” Gary stated.

Leah — who turned 16 in November — voiced her concern that Amber may make the method “tougher.”

“By then, it’d take two years, after which at that time, there’s probably not no level even going by all the difficulty for it,” she stated.

In a confessional, Leah shared her ideas, admitting that she actually needs Kristina to undertake her, however she’s “scared” of how Amber may react.

“I wish to be adopted as a result of Kristina’s been there my complete life,” the teenager stated of her stepmom, who married her dad in 2015. “I imply, I actually wish to do it, however I am scared it could make Amber mad. I do not like being imply to individuals.”

“However I do not know, I simply really feel prefer it ought to be official, and it is greater than a chunk of paper to me,” she added.

Leah famous her hesitation to her dad and stepmom, earlier than noting that she’s going to “give it some thought” earlier than she comes to a decision.

Gary advised that Leah converse to her therapist concerning the scenario to see what can be “emotionally be greatest” for her and the “healthiest choice.”

“I do know that your mother loves you,” he stated, “however for some cause, she does not know how one can present it.”

Gary opened up additional in a confessional, telling the MTV cameras, “If it wasn’t for Kristina being in her life as a lot as she was, Leah would not have a mother. It could be no one.”

Kristina, in the meantime, stated that Leah is “going to weigh her choices” and “resolve what route she needs to go,” stressing that she “will do no matter she needs.”

“Nothing will change the way in which that I like that lady,” she stated, later assuring Leah, “I am not going anyplace. I like you, and I am there for you, and we’ll get by it.”

New episodes of Teen Mother: The Subsequent Chapter air Thursdays on MTV.