Title 10, Title 10 — Children

Proceedings for adoption shall be brought in the district court in the county where the petitioners or the child to be adopted resides, in Tulsa County or in Oklahoma County, or where termination proceedings took place, at the election of the petitioners. Added by Laws 1957, p. 2…

A. Except as otherwise provided by this section, a proceeding to terminate parental rights pursuant to Article 5 of the Oklahoma Adoption Code or an adoption in this state of a minor born in this state or brought into this state from another state by a prospective adoptive parent…

A. The courts of this state shall recognize a decree, judgment, or final order creating the relationship of parent and child by adoption, issued by a court or other governmental authority with appropriate jurisdiction in a foreign country or in another state or territory of the U…

The following persons are eligible to adopt a child: 1. A husband and wife jointly if both spouses are at least twenty-one (21) years of age; 2. Either the husband or wife if the other spouse is a parent or a relative of the child; 3. An unmarried person who is at least twenty-on…

Signatures. A. A written adoption full-disclosure statement shall be prepared by the attorneys of record for the petitioner and birth parents in a direct-placement adoption of a minor in this state. Each statement shall include: 1. The name and address of the attorney; 2. A copy …

A. A minor may be adopted when there has been filed written consent to adoption or a permanent relinquishment for adoption executed by: 1. Both parents of the minor; 2. One parent of the minor, alone, if: a. the other parent is dead, b. the parental rights of the other parent hav…

A. The mother of a minor shall not execute a valid consent to the adoption of the minor or a permanent relinquishment of the minor prior to the birth of the minor. B. The father of a minor born in wedlock shall not execute a valid consent to the adoption of the minor or a permane…

A. A permanent relinquishment may be executed by a person whose consent to the adoption of a minor is required by Section 7503-2.1 of this title. The permanent relinquishment shall be in writing and shall relinquish all of that individual's rights with respect to the minor, inclu…

A. A consent to an adoption of a minor shall be in writing, recorded by a court reporter, and executed before a judge of the district court in this state and contain: 1. The date, place, and time of the execution of the consent; 2. The name and date of birth of the person executi…

relinquishment before judge - Affidavit of nondisclosure. A. At the time that a written consent to adoption or permanent relinquishment is acknowledged by a biological parent before a judge of a court of this state, the judge shall advise the biological parent: 1. That an adult a…

A. 1. A putative father at least sixteen (16) years of age, of a minor born out of wedlock who is not an Indian child, as defined by the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Act, may execute an extrajudicial consent before a notary public in which the putative father waives any legal in…

adoption. A. Except as otherwise provided in subsection B of this section and in Section 7503-2.6 of this title, a permanent relinquishment or consent to adoption executed pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code shall be irrevocable. B. The court shall set aside a permanent relinq…

A. 1. Before or after the birth of a minor born out of wedlock, the Department of Human Services, a licensed child-placing agency, or an attorney representing prospective adoptive parents of the minor may, by in-hand service to the putative father or certified mail to the putativ…

father. A. 1. If a putative father files a paternity action after receiving notice of or having knowledge of a potential adoption, the putative father shall notify the attorney for the petitioner for adoption or the child-placing agency that is placing the minor for adoption that…

A. 1. If a mother of a minor born out of wedlock or a mother and father of a minor born in wedlock appear before a judge of the district court prior to the birth of the minor and request that the court issue a temporary order of custody effective after the birth of the minor to a…

A. 1. Except as otherwise provided by the Oklahoma Adoption Code, before placing a minor for adoption, the Department of Human Services or a child-placing agency shall compile a written medical and social history report of the minor to be adopted, containing: a. all of the inform…

A. Whenever the disclosure of medical and social history is permitted under this section, all identifying information shall be deleted from the copy of the report or record that is disclosed, unless the court, Department, agency, attorney, or person authorized to disclose informa…

Release - Exceptions - Misdemeanor. A. Unless otherwise ordered by the district court exercising jurisdiction over the adoption proceeding, all hearings held in proceedings pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code shall be confidential and shall be held in closed court without admi…

A. 1. In a proceeding pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code, the court shall appoint an attorney for a minor in a contested proceeding pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code and may appoint an attorney for a child in an uncontested proceeding or appoint an attorney for the child…

order and notice of hearing. Whenever the Oklahoma Adoption Code requires that an order setting the date of hearing and giving notice thereof be signed by a judge, the chief judge in the county may, by judicial order, provide that such order or notice may be signed by the court c…

Any petitions filed with the court pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code when docketed shall have priority over all cases pending on said docket. Any other proceedings concerning the adoption of a child shall be expedited by the court. Added by Laws 1996, c. 297, § 8, emerg. eff…

and birth relative. A. If a child has resided with a birth relative before being adopted, the adoptive parents and that birth relative may enter into an agreement pursuant to the provisions of this section regarding communication with, visitation of or contact between the child, …

A. 1. Prior to the filing of a petition for adoption, a child- placing agency, attorney, or prospective adoptive parent to whom a parent having legal custody has executed a consent to adoption or has permanently relinquished a minor born out of wedlock may file a petition for the…

A. A petition for adoption shall be verified by the petitioner, and shall specify: 1. The full names, ages and places of residence of the petitioner or petitioners and, if married, the place and date of the marriage; 2. When the petitioner acquired or intends to acquire custody o…

Disclosure statement. A. 1. An affidavit shall be attached to the petition for adoption, or may be filed after the filing of the petition for adoption, but prior to the final decree of adoption, which discloses to the court all of the costs, funds, or monies expended by the adopt…

Expenditures. A. The Disclosure Statement of Adoption-related Costs and Expenditures required by Section 7505-3.2 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall be in substantially the following form: DISCLOSURE STATEMENT OF ADOPTION-RELATED COSTS AND EXPENDITURES The following is a …

A. If a consent to adoption or permanent relinquishment for adoption has not been obtained from both parents of a minor who is the subject of a petition for adoption, and the rights of the nonconsenting parent or parents have not previously been terminated, the petitioner for ado…

A. Consent to adoption is not required from a putative father of a minor who, at the hearing provided for in Section 7505-2.1 or 7505-4.1 of this title, fails to prove he is the father of the child. B. Consent to adoption is not required from a parent who, for a period of twelve …

A. If, at any time in a proceeding for adoption or for termination of a relationship of parent and child pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code, the court finds that an unknown father or putative father of the child may not have received notice, the court shall determine whether …

Exception - Placement not approved in certain circumstances. A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, only a person for whom a favorable written preplacement home study has been prepared may accept custody of a minor for purposes of adoption. A preplacement home study is …

A. If a preplacement home study is not waived by the court for good cause shown or is not required by Section 7505-5.1 of this title, the court, upon the filing of a petition for adoption, shall order that a home study be made and filed with the court by the designated investigat…

A. A home study satisfying Section 7505-5.1 or 7505-5.2 of this title must include at a minimum the following: 1. An appropriate inquiry to determine whether the proposed home is a suitable one for the minor; and any other circumstances and conditions which may have a bearing on …

studies. A. Home studies satisfying Sections 7505-5.1, 7505-5.2 and 7505-5.3 of this title must be conducted and the reports prepared only by the following persons or agencies: 1. The agency having custody or legal guardianship of the child; 2. The Department of Human Services; 3…

Upon examination of the report required in Section 29 or 30 of this act, and after hearing, the court may issue an interlocutory decree giving the care and custody of a minor to the petitioners, pending the further order of the court. Added by Laws 1957, p. 25, § 15. Amended by L…

A. Before the final hearing on the petition for adoption, the following must be filed in the proceeding when available: 1. A certified copy of the birth certificate or other record of the date and place of birth of the minor; 2. Any consent, extra judicial consent, or permanent r…

interlocutory decree and waiting period - Notice of hearing - Appearance - Entry of final decree. A. After six (6) months from the date of the interlocutory decree unless the court waived all or part of the waiting period, the petitioners may apply to the court for a final decree…

A. If the court denies a petition for adoption or vacates a decree of adoption, it shall dismiss the proceeding. If no preexisting custody order remains in effect, the court shall issue an appropriate order for the legal and physical custody of the minor according to the best int…

A. After the final decree of adoption is entered, the relation of parent and child and all the rights, duties, and other legal consequences of the natural relation of child and parent shall thereafter exist between the adopted child and the adoptive parents of the child and the k…

certificate - Sealed records - Disclosure of original records. A. 1. For each adoption or annulment of adoption, the attorney or child-placing agency handling the adoption or annulment of adoption shall prepare and the clerk of the court shall certify, within thirty (30) days aft…

A. An appeal may be taken from any final order, judgment, decree, or any order determining a minor eligible for adoption without terminating parental rights rendered pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code to the Supreme Court by any person aggrieved thereby, in the manner provide…

of parental rights - Effect of appeal - Best interests of child. A. Except as otherwise provided by paragraph 3 of subsection B of Section 7503-2.7 of this title: 1. When an interlocutory or final decree of adoption has been rendered, a decree terminating parental rights cannot b…

A. Whenever the Department of Human Services publishes statistics on successful adoptions, the Department shall also include statistics on adoption dissolutions, including the average number of months between the finalization of adoptions and the effective date of dissolutions. B…

A. The Department of Human Services shall establish a centralized paternity registry. The purpose of the registry is to: 1. Protect the parental rights of a putative father who may wish to affirmatively assume responsibility for children he may have fathered; and 2. Expedite adop…

Removal of registrant's name from registry. A. A putative father may revoke a notice of intent to claim paternity at any time by submitting a signed, notarized statement revoking the notice of intent to claim paternity. B. If a court determines that the registrant is not the fath…

An adult person may be adopted by any other adult person, with the consent of the person to be adopted or his guardian, if the court shall approve, and with the consent of the spouse, if any, of an adoptive parent, filed in writing with the court. The provisions of Sections 9 thr…

A. All records of any adoption finalized in this state shall be maintained for ninety-nine (99) years by the child-placing agency, entity, organization or person arranging or facilitating the adoption. B. Child-placing agencies, attorneys, or other entities that facilitate adopti…

A. The Department of Human Services shall establish and administer, directly or through a contractor, a Mutual Consent Voluntary Registry whereby eligible persons as described in subsection B of this section may indicate their willingness to have their identity and whereabouts di…

A. The Department of Human Services shall establish a search program whereby the services of a confidential intermediary who has been certified through the program may be used by eligible persons listed in subsection B of this section to locate an adult biological relative listed…

facilities. A. It is the public policy of the State of Oklahoma that when an infant will be placed for adoption, a discharge of the infant from a medical facility shall be made as soon after birth as is medically prudent to facilitate the placement that has been arranged. B. It s…

In order to facilitate the updating of medical and social information received pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Act and for the operation of the mutual consent voluntary registry and the confidential intermediary search programs, the office of the court clerk in each county of t…