Title 15A, Title 15A: Adoption Act

§ 2-106. Interstate placement An adoption in this State of a minor brought into this State from another state by a prospective adoptive parent, or by a person who places the minor for adoption in this State, is governed by the laws of this State, including this title and the Inte…

§ 2-107. Intercountry placement An adoption in this State of a minor brought into this State from another country by a prospective adoptive parent, or by a person who places the minor for adoption in this State, is governed by this title, subject to any convention or treaty on in…

§ 2-201. Preplacement evaluation required (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, only a person for whom a favorable written preplacement evaluation has been prepared may accept custody of a minor for purposes of adoption. (b) An evaluation is…

§ 2-202. Preplacement evaluator (a) A preplacement evaluation may be prepared only by a person who is qualified by the Department to make the evaluation or who meets the qualifications of an evaluator and is appointed by the court. (b) An evaluator may charge a reasonable fee, ba…

§ 2-203. Timing and content of preplacement evaluation (a) A person requesting a preplacement evaluation need not have located a prospective minor adoptee when the request is made, and the person may request more than one evaluation. (b) A preplacement evaluation shall be complet…

§ 2-204. Determining suitability to be adoptive parent (a) An evaluator shall assess the information required by section 2-203 of this title to determine whether it raises a concern that placement of any minor, or a particular minor, in the home of the person would pose a risk of…

§ 2-205. Filing and copies of preplacement evaluation (a) If a preplacement evaluation contains a finding that a person is suited to be an adoptive parent, the evaluator shall give the person a signed copy of the evaluation. At the person’s request, the evaluator shall furnish a …

§ 2-206. Review of evaluation (a) Within 90 days after a person receives a preplacement evaluation with a finding that he or she is not suited to be an adoptive parent, the person may petition the Probate Division of the Superior Court for review of the evaluation. (b) If the cou…

§ 2-207. Action by Department If, before a decree of adoption is issued, the Department learns from an evaluator or another person that a minor has been placed for adoption with a person who is the subject of a preplacement evaluation on file with the Department containing a find…

§ 2-401. Persons whose consent to adoption is required (a) Unless consent is not required or is dispensed with by section 2-402 of this title, in a direct placement of a minor for adoption by a parent or guardian authorized under this title to place the minor, a petition to adopt…

§ 2-402. Persons whose consent not required (a) Consent to an adoption of a minor is not required of: (1) a person who has relinquished parental rights or guardianship powers, including the right to consent to adoption, to an agency pursuant to this part of this article; (2) a pe…

§ 2-403. Persons who may relinquish minor A parent or guardian whose consent to the adoption of a minor is required by section 2-401 of this title may relinquish to an agency all rights with respect to the minor, including legal and physical custody and the right to consent to th…

§ 2-404. Time and prerequisites for execution of consent or relinquishment (a) A parent whose consent to the adoption of a minor is required by section 2-401 of this title may not execute a consent or a relinquishment sooner than 36 hours after the minor is born. A parent who exe…

§ 2-405. Procedure for execution of consent or relinquishment (a) A consent or relinquishment executed by a parent or guardian under this title shall be signed in the presence of: (1) a judge of a court that has jurisdiction over adoption proceedings in this or in any other state…

§ 2-406. Content of consent or relinquishment (a) A consent or relinquishment required from a parent or guardian under this title shall be in writing and contain, in plain English or, if the native language of the parent or guardian is a language other than English, in that langu…

§ 2-407. Consequences of consent or relinquishment (a) Except under a circumstance stated in section 2-408 of this title, a consent to the adoption of a minor, which consent is executed by a parent or guardian in substantial compliance with sections 2-405 and 2-406 of this title,…

§ 2-408. Revocation of consent (a) In a direct placement of a minor for adoption by a parent or guardian, and before the adoption is finalized, a consent is revoked if: (1) within 21 days after the consent is executed, a parent who executed the consent notifies the court in writi…

§ 2-409. Revocation of relinquishment (a) A relinquishment under this title is revoked if: (1) within 21 days after a relinquishment is executed, a parent who executed the relinquishment gives written notice to the court in which the relinquishment was signed and the agency to wh…