Title FAM, California Fam. Code

(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following: (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to expedite legal permanency for children who cannot return to their parents and to remove barriers to adoption by relatives of children who are already in the dependency system or who a…

(a) The department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency, whichever is a party to, or joins in, the petition, shall submit a full report of the facts of the case to the court. (b) If the child has been adjudged to be a dependent of the juvenile court pursuant to Se…

Where a petition is filed for the adoption of a child who has been placed for adoption by a county adoption agency, licensed county adoption agency, or the department, the county adoption agency, licensed adoption agency, or department may, at the time of filing a favorable repor…

When any report or findings are submitted to the court by the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency, a copy of the report or findings, whether favorable or unfavorable, shall be given to the petitioner’s attorney in the proceeding, if the petitioner has …

The prospective adoptive parents and the child proposed to be adopted shall appear before the court pursuant to Sections 8612 and 8613. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

If the petitioners move to withdraw the adoption petition or to dismiss the proceeding, the court clerk shall immediately notify the department at Sacramento of the action. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) If the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency finds that the home of the petitioners is not suitable for the child or that the required agency consents are not available and the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency recommend…

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, the community estate is liable for a debt incurred by either spouse before or during marriage, regardless of which spouse has the management and control of the property and regardless of whether one or both spouses are partie…

(a) The earnings of a married person during marriage are not liable for a debt incurred by the person’s spouse before marriage. After the earnings of the married person are paid, they remain not liable so long as they are held in a deposit account in which the person’s spouse has…

For the purposes of this part, quasi-community property is liable to the same extent, and shall be treated the same in all other respects, as community property. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) The separate property of a married person is liable for a debt incurred by the person before or during marriage. (b) Except as otherwise provided by statute: (1) The separate property of a married person is not liable for a debt incurred by the person’s spouse before or durin…

(a) Notwithstanding Section 913, a married person is personally liable for the following debts incurred by the person’s spouse during marriage: (1) A debt incurred for necessaries of life of the person’s spouse before the date of separation of the spouses. (2) Except as provided …

(a) For the purpose of this part, a child or spousal support obligation of a married person that does not arise out of the marriage shall be treated as a debt incurred before marriage, regardless of whether a court order for support is made or modified before or during marriage a…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, after division of community and quasi-community property pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 2500): (1) The separate property owned by a married person at the time of the division and the property received by th…

(a) An adult may adopt another adult who is younger, except the spouse of the prospective adoptive parent, by an adoption agreement approved by the court, as provided in this chapter. (b) The adoption agreement shall be in writing, executed by the prospective adoptive parent and …

(a) The prospective adoptive parent and the proposed adoptee may file in the county in which either person resides a petition for approval of the adoption agreement. (b) The petition for approval of the adoption agreement shall state all of the following: (1) The length and natur…

(a) Notwithstanding Section 9321, a person who is a resident of this state may file a petition for adult adoption with the court in any of the following: (1) The county in which the prospective adoptive parent resides. (2) The county in which the proposed adoptee was born or resi…

When the petition for approval of the adoption agreement is filed, the court clerk shall set the matter for hearing. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

The court may require notice of the time and place of the hearing to be served on any other interested person and any interested person may appear and object to the proposed adoption. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

Both the prospective adoptive parent and the proposed adoptee shall appear at the hearing in person, unless the court allows otherwise pursuant to Section 8613.5. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 159, Sec. 10. (AB 2495) Effective January 1, 2023.)

No investigation or report to the court by any public officer or agency is required, but the court may require the county probation officer or the department to investigate the circumstances of the proposed adoption and report thereon, with recommendations, to the court before th…

The prospective adoptive parent shall mail or personally serve notice of the hearing and a copy of the petition to the director of the regional center for the developmentally disabled, established pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4620) of Division 4.5 of the Welfare…

If the prospective adoptive parent is a provider of board and care, treatment, habilitation, or other services to persons with developmental disabilities, or is a spouse or employee of a provider, and seeks to adopt an unrelated adult with developmental disabilities, the regional…

(a) At the hearing the court shall examine the parties, or the counsel of any party not present in person. (b) If the court is satisfied that the adoption will be in the best interests of the persons seeking the adoption and in the public interest and that there is no reason why …

Subject to this chapter and to Section 3651, spouses may agree, in writing, to an immediate separation, and may provide in the agreement for the support of either of them and of their children during the separation or upon the dissolution of their marriage. The mutual consent of …

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an extraordinary remedy for cases of bad faith failure to pay child support obligations. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

“Deposit holder” as used in this chapter means the district attorney, county officer, or trustee designated by the court to receive assets deposited pursuant to this chapter to secure future support payments. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

If requested by an obligor-parent, the deposit holder shall prepare a statement setting forth disbursements and receipts made under this chapter. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

The deposit holder who is responsible for any money or property and for any disbursements under this chapter is not liable for any action undertaken in good faith and in conformance with this chapter. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative January 1, 1994.)

(a) If the deposit holder incurs fees or costs under this chapter which are not compensated by the deduction under subdivision (c) of Section 4630 (including, but not limited to, fees or costs incurred in a sale of assets pursuant to this chapter and in the preparation of a state…

It is the intent of the Legislature that proceedings under this part be as simple and inexpensive as possible. To that end, the Judicial Council is requested to prepare and distribute to the clerks of the superior courts appropriate forms for the proceedings that are suitable for…

The issuance of a declaration of emancipation does not entitle the minor to any benefits under Division 9 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Welfare and Institutions Code which would not otherwise accrue to an emancipated minor. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Oper…

(a) A petition may be filed under this part for an order or judgment declaring a child free from the custody and control of either or both parents by any of the following: (1) The State Department of Social Services, a county welfare department, a licensed private or public adopt…

(a) An interested person may file a petition under this part for an order or judgment declaring a child free from the custody and control of either or both parents. (b) For purposes of this section, an “interested person” is one who has a direct interest in the action, and includ…

A single petition may be filed under this part to free a child, or more than one child if the children are biological siblings, from the custody and control of both parents. A petition filed in accordance with this section may be granted in whole or in part in accordance with the…

The provisions of an agreement between the parents for child support shall be deemed to be separate and severable from all other provisions of the agreement relating to property and support of either spouse. An order for child support based on the agreement shall be imposed by la…

If an agreement between the parents 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, the court is not required to make a separate order for child support. (Enacted by Stats. 1992,…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court has the authority to approve a stipulated agreement by the parents to pay for the support of an adult child or for the continuation of child support after a child attains the age of 18 years and to make a support order to effe…

(a) Subject to Sections 4613, 4614, and 4615, in any proceeding where the court has ordered either or both parents to pay any amount for the support of a child for whom support may be ordered, upon an order to show cause or notice of motion, application, and declaration signed un…

In a proceeding under this chapter, an obligor-parent shall rebut both of the following presumptions: (a) The nonpayment of child support was willful, without good faith. (b) The obligor had the ability to pay the support. (Enacted by Stats. 1992, Ch. 162, Sec. 10. Operative Janu…

An obligor-parent alleged to be in arrears may use any of the following grounds as a defense to the motion filed pursuant to this article or as a basis for filing a motion to stop a sale or use of assets under Section 4631: (a) Child support payments are not in arrears. (b) Lache…

The court shall not issue an order pursuant to this article unless the court determines that one or more of the following conditions exist: (a) The obligor-parent is not receiving salary or wages subject to an assignment pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5200) and th…

The designation of assets subject to an order pursuant to this article shall be based upon concern for maximizing the liquidity and ready conversion into cash of the deposited asset. In all instances, the assets shall include a sum of money up to or equal in value to one year of …

In lieu of depositing cash or other assets as provided in Section 4614, the obligor-parent may, if approved by the court, provide a performance bond secured by real property or other assets of the obligor-parent and equal in value to one year of payments. (Enacted by Stats. 1992,…

Upon deposit of an asset which is not readily convertible into money, the court may, after a hearing, order the sale of that asset and the deposit of the proceeds with the deposit holder. Not less than 20 days written notice of the hearing shall be served on the obligor-parent. (…

(a) If the asset ordered to be deposited is real property, the order shall be certified as an abstract of judgment in accordance with Section 674 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (b) A deposit of real property is made effective by recordation of the certified abstract with the cou…