Title FAM, California Fam. Code

Unless otherwise expressly stated: (a) “Division” means a division of this code. (b) “Part” means a part of the division in which that term occurs. (c) “Chapter” means a chapter of the division or part, as the case may be, in which that term occurs. (d) “Article” means an article…

“Employee benefit plan” includes public and private retirement, pension, annuity, savings, profit sharing, stock bonus, stock option, thrift, vacation pay, and similar plans of deferred or fringe benefit compensation, whether of the defined contribution or defined benefit type wh…

Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions in this part govern the construction of this division. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) “Adoption service provider” means any of the following: (1) A licensed private adoption agency. (2) An individual who has presented satisfactory evidence to the department that the individual is a licensed clinical social worker who also has a minimum of five years of experie…

“Adoptive parent” means a person who has obtained an order of adoption of a minor child or, in the case of an adult adoption, an adult. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

“Agency adoption” means the adoption of a minor, other than an intercountry adoption, in which the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency is a party to, or joins in, the adoption petition. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 35, Sec. 2. (SB 1013) Effective June …

“Applicant” means a person who has submitted a written application to adopt a child from the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency and who is being considered by the adoption agency for the adoptive placement of a child. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 35, …

“Birth parent” means the biological parent or, in the case of a person previously adopted, the adoptive parent. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

“County adoption agency” means an adoption agency operated by a county or consortium of counties. (Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 35, Sec. 4. (SB 1013) Effective June 27, 2012.)

“Days” means calendar days, unless otherwise specified. (Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 585, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1995.)

“Delegated county adoption agency” means a county adoption agency that has agreed to provide the services described in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 8800) of Part 2. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 35, Sec. 5. (SB 1013) Effective June 27, 2012.)

“Department” means the State Department of Social Services. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) “Full-service adoption agency” means a licensed or authorized entity engaged in the business of providing adoption services, that does all of the following: (1) Assumes care, custody, and control of a child through relinquishment of the child to the agency or involuntary term…

“Independent adoption” means the adoption of a child in which neither the department, county adoption agency, nor agency licensed by the department is a party to, or joins in, the adoption petition. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 35, Sec. 7. (SB 1013) Effective June 27, 2012.)

“Intercountry adoption” means the adoption of a foreign-born child for whom federal law makes a special immigration visa available. Intercountry adoption includes completion of the adoption in the child’s native country or completion of the adoption in this state. (Enacted by Sta…

“Licensed adoption agency” means any agency licensed by the department to provide the adoption services specified in paragraphs (9) and (10) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 43, Sec. 3. (AB 120) Effective July 10, 2023…

(a) “Noncustodial adoption agency” means any licensed entity engaged in the business of providing adoption services, which does all of the following: (1) Assesses the prospective adoptive parents. (2) Cooperatively matches children freed for adoption, who are under the care, cust…

“Place for adoption” means, in the case of an independent adoption, the selection of a prospective adoptive parent or parents for a child by the birth parent or parents and the completion of an adoptive placement agreement on a form prescribed by the department by the birth paren…

“Prospective adoptive parent” means a person who has filed or intends to file a petition under Part 2 (commencing with Section 8600) to adopt a child who has been or who is to be placed in the person’s physical care or a petition under Part 3 (commencing with Section 9300) to ado…

“Qualified court investigator” means a superior court investigator with the same minimum qualifications as a probation officer or county welfare worker designated to conduct stepparent adoption investigations in stepparent adoption proceedings and proceedings to declare a minor f…

“Special needs child” means a child for whom all of the following are true: (a) It has been determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the parent’s home, as evidenced by a petition for termination of parental rights, a court order terminating parental rights, o…

“Stepparent adoption” means an adoption of a child by a stepparent where one birth parent retains custody and control of the child. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future, the present. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

“Family support” means an agreement between the parents, or an order or judgment, that combines child support and spousal support without designating the amount to be paid for child support and the amount to be paid for spousal support. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. …

“Income and expense declaration” means the form for an income and expense declaration in family law matters adopted by the Judicial Council. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)