Title 15, Title 15 Relations

For the purposes of placement of a child in adoptive homes under this chapter, a child shall be placed in an adoptive home of any religious faith or persuasion that may be designated by the natural parent(s) so far as practicable. In the event that the natural parent(s) waive the…

If, after investigation and upon a hearing, the court is satisfied as to the identity and relations of the persons, and that the petitioner or petitioners are of sufficient ability to bring up the child and furnish suitable nurture and education, having reference to the degree an…

(a) At the time an adoption decree is entered, the court entering the decree may grant post-adoption visitation, contact and/or conveyance of information privileges (subsequently referred to as “Post-adoption privileges”) under subsection (b) of this section to a birth parent who…

If, in a petition for the adoption of a child, a change of the child’s name is requested, the court, upon decreeing the adoption, may also decree the change of name and grant a certificate for the name change.

(a) A child lawfully adopted shall be deemed, for the purpose of inheritance by the child and his or her descendants from the parents by adoption and the lineal and collateral kindred of the parents by adoption, and for the purpose of inheritance by the parents by adoption, and t…

The parents of the child shall be deprived, by the decree, of all legal rights respecting the child, and the child shall be freed from all obligations of maintenance and obedience respecting his or her natural parents except that the granting of the petition for adoption will not…

(a) Upon hearing before the family court on any petition for adoption, if it finds that the petition for adoption is not for the best interest of the child and denies the petition, the court shall have the power to order the child returned to the person, persons, or licensed agen…

Appeals from decrees of the family court under the provisions of this chapter shall be in the same manner as provided in § 14-1-52, and any child made the subject of a petition may, by next friend, appeal in like manner, but no bond shall be required of, or court costs awarded ag…

(a) Whenever a parent or parents places a child with a person or persons, other than a father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or stepparent of the child for adoption purposes, the person or persons with whom the child has been placed for adoption shall, within fifteen…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, in those cases where a child is placed for adoption by the department of children, youth and families or a licensed child placement agency, the agency shall provide a pre-adoption report in writing to the prospective adoptive paren…

During the pendency of an appeal the family court shall have jurisdiction with respect to the custody of the child and shall make any orders that may be for the best interest of the child. This jurisdiction shall continue after verdict or decision until the final determination of…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, a decree of adoption or a termination of a parent’s right to give or withhold consent for adoption shall not be subject to a challenge or petition to reverse unless the challenge or petition is filed in the family court wi…

Every person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter, or who intentionally makes any false statements with reference to the matters contained in this chapter, shall, in addition to any specific penalties provided in this chapter, upon conviction of the first offense, b…

The director of children, youth and families or any person appointed by him or her shall present all complaints under the provisions of this chapter to the family court.

The child does not need to be in attendance at any court hearing; however, the court in its discretion may require attendance at any hearing.

The state shall make funds available through the department of children, youth and families for special reimbursement to adoptive parents in matters of placement of children with disabilities or hard to place children. These funds will be disbursed in accordance with the guidelin…

(a) If the court, after examination, determines that the natural father has not joined in a petition either for the termination of parental rights or a petition for adoption or has not executed a waiver, then the court shall cause inquiry to be made of the mother, as the court in…

(a) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent: (1) “Assisted reproduction” means the definition provided in § 15-8.1-102. (2) “Marriage” means and inclu…

(a) Whenever any person or persons brings or causes to be brought a child, not related to him or her or them, into this state for the purpose of adoption, he or she or they shall make a report to the department of children, youth and families within fifteen (15) days of the entry…

(a) Any person residing in Rhode Island may petition the family court for leave to adopt as his or her child any person younger than him or herself and under eighteen (18) years of age, and, if desired, for a change of the child’s name, but the prayer of the petition by a person …

(a) The parents of the child, or their survivor, shall, except as provided in this section, consent in writing to the adoption, or the petition shall be dismissed. If neither parent is living, the guardian of the person of the child, or, if there is no guardian, the next of kin, …

Upon providing consent to an adoption, the biological parent(s) shall be informed that, consistent with § 23-3-15(g)(1), an adoptee may obtain a non-certified copy of his/her unaltered, original certificate of birth upon his/her eighteenth birthday, and that the birth parent is a…

Any duly licensed child placement agency in this state, or governmental child placement agency, at the request of the natural parent or parents of a child under eighteen (18) years of age, may, not sooner than fifteen (15) days after the birth of the child, petition the family co…

(a) The court shall, upon a petition duly filed by a governmental child placement agency or licensed child placement agency, or by the birthmother or guardian of a child born under circumstances referenced in subsection (a)(2)(viii) of this section, after notice to the parent and…

The court shall make findings of fact and conclude all hearings on petitions for termination of parental rights within one hundred eighty (180) days after notice to the natural parents has been effectuated. If the court is unable to conclude a hearing within one hundred eighty (1…

The family court may establish a voluntary mediation program for termination of parental rights. Once established, the court may, with the consent of the parties, refer to mediation all or any portion of a matter relating to termination of parental rights.

(a) The notice required in § 15-7-7 shall be as follows: If a parent does not consent in writing to the adoption of his or her child, the court shall order a copy of the petition and order that copy to be served on him or her, personally, if found in the state; and if not, notice…

(a) When a petition concerning the adoption or termination of parental rights is filed which sets forth that the whereabouts of the parent or parents of the child are unknown, that fact shall be sworn to by the petitioners by affidavit which shall set forth the last contacts with…

(a) Whenever the department of children, youth and families shall pay for the support and maintenance of any child pursuant to §§ 42-72-13 and 42-72-14, or whenever another department, agency, society, institution, or person having the charge, care, or custody of a child shall pa…

All duties of support and maintenance, including the duty to pay arrearages, are enforceable by a court proceeding under the provisions of chapter 23 of this title.

(a) In any proceeding under this chapter the division of taxation within the department of administration shall represent the department of children, youth and families. (b) The division of taxation within the department of administration shall remit to the general treasury the n…

If any provision of this chapter or the application of it to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the prov…

(a) Prior to filing a claim pursuant to § 15-9-1, the department shall seek the cooperation of the person from whom reimbursement for support and maintenance may be sought. (b) The department shall inform the person that he or she does not, for good cause, have to cooperate. The …

(a) Any person, above the age of eighteen (18) years, who unreasonably neglects or refuses to provide for the support and maintenance of his or her parent, whether father or mother, residing in this state, when his or her parent through misfortune, and without fault of his or her…

Before the trial, with the consent of the defendant, or at the trial, on entry of a plea of guilty, or after conviction, the court may, in its discretion, make any orders and require any conditions for the benefit of the destitute parent that the circumstances of the defendant ma…

The director of human services or any person designated and appointed to do so by the director may be the party complainant to any complaint and warrant brought to invoke the penalties provided for in this chapter, and the director or his or her designee and appointee shall be ex…

Complaints under the provisions of this chapter may be made by a destitute parent, children of a destitute parent, the director of public welfare of any city or town, or the director of any licensed private charity, in the district court of the judicial district, or police court …

Whenever a complaint under this chapter shall be brought by a director of public welfare, the costs, if taxed to the complainant, shall be paid by the state.

All criminal actions for any violation of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated under this chapter pertaining to the department of human services shall be prosecuted by the attorney general or by any qualified member of the Rhode Island bar who shall be designated by…

Any child making more than his or her share of a proper and reasonable contribution toward the support of his or her destitute parents shall have a right of contribution from other children over the age of eighteen (18) years of the parents, who have been supported by the parents…

The uncompensated costs of care provided by a licensed nursing facility to any person may be recovered by the nursing facility from any child of that person who is above the age of eighteen (18) years, to the extent that the child previously received a transfer of any interests o…

(a) Notwithstanding any general or public law or provision of the common law to the contrary, all persons who have attained the age of eighteen (18) years shall be deemed to be persons of full legal age. (b) These persons shall have all the duties and obligations, rights, and pri…

The party commencing an action seeking a divorce from the bond of marriage or divorce from bed and board or an order pursuant to § 15-5-19 shall, at the time the proceeding is begun, append to the petition a statement containing the names of all children of the marriage and their…

(a) If the statement appended to the petition indicates that any child of the marriage is a recipient of or applicant for public assistance, a hearing shall be held as promptly as possible to determine the amount of support to which each child is entitled from the appropriate par…

(a) Every order entered by the family court providing for support of a child who at the time of entry of the order was not a recipient of or applicant for public assistance shall, in the event the child becomes the recipient of public assistance, be reconsidered de novo upon the …

(a) In any proceeding brought for failure to make support payments as ordered by the court, upon a showing that the payments are more than forty-five (45) days overdue, the family court may grant an order directing that an execution issue against the wages, debts, earnings, salar…