Title 19, Children's Code

(1) The general assembly hereby finds that parental relinquishment and adoption of children are important and necessary options to facilitate the permanent placement of minor children if the birth parents are unable or unwilling to provide proper parental care. The general assemb…

Except where indicated otherwise, each provision of this article pertaining to relinquishment or adoption shall apply only to child welfare adoptions and not to private adoptions. Source: L. 2010: Entire section added, (HB 10-1106), ch. 278, p. 1273, � 4, effective May 26.

(1) The juvenile court may, upon petition, terminate the parent-child legal relationship between a parent or parents, or a possible parent or parents, and a child in proceedings pursuant to: (a) Section 19-1-104 (1)(d); (a.5) Section 19-5-103.5 (2)(d); (b) Section 19-5-105; (c) S…

(1) A petition for relinquishment of the parent-child relationship shall be filed in the county where the child resides or in the county where the petitioner resides. If a child placement agency is involved, the petition may be filed in the county where the child placement agency…

(1) On and after July 1, 2002, any hearing concerning a petition for relinquishment filed in a district court, the Colorado court of appeals, or the Colorado supreme court shall be given a priority on the court's docket. On and after July 1, 2002, if there is no determination on …

(1) Any parent desiring to relinquish his or her child shall: (a) Obtain counseling for himself or herself and the child to be relinquished as the court deems appropriate from the county department of human or social services in the county where the parent resides or from a licen…

(1) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 19-5-103 to the contrary, a parent desiring to relinquish his or her child may seek an expedited order terminating his or her parent-child legal relationship without the necessity of a court hearing if: (I) The child is under one …

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of section 19-5-103 to the contrary, a licensed child placement agency assisting a parent who plans to relinquish a child through an expedited relinquishment pursuant to section 19-5-103.5, may provide notice of the anticipated expedited relinqui…

(1) If the court terminates the parent-child legal relationship of both parents or of the only living parent, the court, after taking into account the religious background of the child, shall order guardianship of the person and legal custody transferred to: (a) The county depart…

(1) If one parent relinquishes or proposes to relinquish or consents to the adoption of a child, the agency or person having custody of the child shall file a petition in the juvenile court to terminate the parent-child legal relationship of the other parent, unless the other par…

(1) The general assembly hereby declares that the purpose of this statute is to protect the victim of a sexual assault and to protect the child conceived as a result of that sexual assault by creating a process to seek termination of the parental rights of the perpetrator of the …

(1) The general assembly hereby declares that the purpose of this statute is to protect a person in a case where it is determined that he or she is a victim of sexual assault but in which no conviction occurred and to protect a child conceived as a result of that sexual assault b…

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 804, � 1, effective October 1. L. 89: Entire section amended, p. 943, � 3, effective March 27. L. 90: Entire section repealed, p. 1012, � 8, effective July 1.

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 805, � 1, effective October 1. L. 91: Entire section amended, p. 254, � 13, effective July 1. L. 92: Entire section amended, p. 2175, � 30, effective June 2. L. 94: Entire section repealed, p. 752, � 4, effective April 20.

If the custodial parent has assigned rights to support for a child who is the subject of relinquishment proceedings to the department of human services, notice of the relinquishment proceedings shall be given, by the parent proposing to relinquish a child or by that parent's coun…

(1) (a) Except for relinquishments ordered pursuant to section 19-5-105.5 (6.6) or 19-5-105.7 (9) or when the subsequent termination of the parent-child legal relationship is the result of a dependency and neglect action, in those cases in which a parent consents to the relinquis…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title to the contrary, it is the intent of the general assembly that the court shall protect and promote the best interests of the children who are the subjects of proceedings held pursuant to this part 2 while giving due regard to…

Any child legally available for adoption as provided in section 19-5-203, under eighteen years of age, and either present in the state at the time the petition for adoption is filed or under the jurisdiction of a court in Colorado for at least six months may be adopted. Upon appr…

(1) Any person twenty-one years of age or older, including a foster parent, may petition the court to decree an adoption. (2) A minor, upon approval of the court, may petition the court to decree an adoption. (3) A person having a living spouse from whom he is not legally separat…

(1) On and after July 1, 2002, any hearing concerning a petition for adoption filed in a district court, the Colorado court of appeals, or the Colorado supreme court and any hearing concerning a petition filed in the Colorado court of appeals or the Colorado supreme court related…

(1) A child may be available for adoption only upon: (a) Order of the court terminating the parent-child legal relationship in a proceeding brought under article 3 or 5 of this title; (b) Order of the court decreeing the voluntary relinquishment of the parent-child legal relation…

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) Court means a district or juvenile court that has jurisdiction over the adoption. (b) Petitioner means the person or persons filing a petition for adoption in accordance with this section. (2) (a) Whenever a …

A petition for adoption shall be filed in the county of residence of the petitioner or in the county in which the placement agency is located. Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 806, � 1, effective October 1. Editor's note: This section was contained in a title that was repeale…

(1) (a) A petition seeking a decree declaring valid an adoption granted by a court of any country other than the United States of America may be filed at any time by residents of the state of Colorado. (b) The petition shall contain all information required in section 19-5-207 (2…

(1) The general assembly finds that timely processing of adoptions is in the best interests of the children being adopted. It is therefore the intent of the general assembly to expedite permanency for those children who are being adopted. It is the purpose of this section to prom…

(1) A placement of any child legally available for adoption pursuant to section 19-5-203 (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), or (1)(g) must not be made for the purposes of adoption except by the court pursuant to section 19-5-104 (2), the county department of human or social services, or a l…

(1) When a child is placed for adoption by the county department of human or social services, a licensed child placement agency, or an individual, the department, agency, or individual shall file, with the petition to adopt, its written and verified consent to such adoption in ad…

(1) When a child is placed for adoption by the county department, if the child is part of a sibling group, as defined in section 19-1-103, the county department shall include in the adoption report prepared for the court the names and current physical custody and location of any …

(1) Legislative declaration. (a) (I) The general assembly finds that there are a growing number of children in the legal custody of the county departments of human or social services who are the victims of physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or abandonment and who are awaiting per…

(1) The petition for adoption shall be filed not later than thirty-five days after the date on which the child is first placed in the home of the adoptive applicants for the purpose of adoption unless the court finds that there was reasonable cause or excusable neglect for not fi…

(1) Except for stepparent adoptions, kinship adoptions, custodial adoptions, and those cases in which placement for adoption has been made by the court, if a petition for the adoption of a child is not accompanied by the written consent and home study report of the qualified coun…

(1) A hearing on the petition for adoption shall be held on the date set or the date to which the matter has been regularly continued. (1.5) Except in stepparent, second parent, custodial, or kinship adoptions, the court shall issue a certificate of approval of placement, placing…

(1) After the entry of a final decree of adoption, the person adopted is, for all intents and purposes, the child of the petitioner. He or she is entitled to all the rights and privileges and is subject to all the obligations of a child born to the petitioner. (1.5) An employer w…

(1) If the court enters an order of adoption, certified copies shall be given to the adopting parents, the person or agency consenting to the adoption, and the state registrar. (2) The court or the adopting parents or their legal representative shall send to the state registrar a…

(1) (a) No person shall offer, give, charge, or receive any money or other consideration or thing of value in connection with the relinquishment and adoption, except attorney fees and such other charges and fees as may be approved by the court. (b) No person, other than an adopti…

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) “Advertise through a public medium” means to communicate by any public medium, including by newspaper, periodical, telephone book listing, outdoor advertising sign, radio, or television or by computerized com…

(1) No final decree of adoption shall be attacked by reason of any jurisdictional or procedural defect after the expiration of ninety-one days following the entry of the final decree; except that, in cases of stepparent adoption, no final decree of adoption shall be attacked by r…

Source: L. 87: Entire title R&RE, p. 811, � 1, effective October 1. L. 89: Entire section amended, p. 943, � 4, effective March 27. L. 90: Entire section repealed, p. 1012, � 8, effective July 1.

(1) (a) The state department shall examine and evaluate the process of adoptive placements of children in the legal custody of the county departments of human or social services and identify those aspects of the process that may be improved to achieve the ultimate goal of permane…

(1) If the decree of adoption contains a post-adoption contact agreement pursuant to section 19-5-208 (4.5), the court retains jurisdiction after the decree of adoption is entered to hear motions to enforce or terminate the contact agreement, or to enter stipulated agreements of …

(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that adult adoptees, adoptive parents, biological parents, and biological siblings should have a right of access to certain records regarding their or their child's adoption or the adoption of their offspring or siblings as outli…

Source: L. 89: Entire part added, p. 941, � 1, effective March 27. L. 96: Entire section repealed, p. 85, � 11, effective March 20. Cross references: For current applicable definitions, see � 19-1-103.

(1) There is created in the department the adoption intermediary commission, referred to in this section as the commission, which consists of thirteen members. The commission is a type 1 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs the duties and …

(1) (a) Any person who has completed a confidential intermediary training program that meets the standards set forth by the commission shall be responsible for notifying the commission that his or her name should be included on the list of confidential intermediaries to be mainta…

(1) Confidentiality. All adoption records are confidential from the general public and must remain confidential except as described in subsections (1.5) and (2) of this section or upon demonstration of good cause pursuant to section 19-1-309 or as otherwise provided by law. (1.5)…

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Eligible party” means: (I) A former ward, regardless of adoption status; (II) A spouse of a former ward; (III) An adult descendant of a former ward; (IV) An adult sibling or half-sibling of a former ward; or (V) The legal representative of any in…

The executive directors of the department of human services and the department of public health and environment, or such executive directors' designees, shall work together to design and implement efforts within existing appropriations to assist in informing the public about the …

If a child placement agency terminates its child placement activities, prior to termination of services, the child placement agency shall microfilm or preserve with state-of-the-art record storage methods as prescribed by the department of human services any relevant files on ado…

Source: L. 93: Entire part added, p. 655, � 1, effective July 1. L. 94: (4) amended, p. 2689, � 214, effective July 1. L. 96: Entire section repealed, p. 85, � 11, effective March 20. Cross references: For current applicable definitions, see � 19-1-103.

Any adult adoptee or any adoptive parent may request nonidentifying information about the adoptee or the birth parents of the adoptee from the department. The department shall provide directly to the inquiring adult adoptee or adoptive parent or to the qualified agency selected p…