After your adoption hearing, you can take steps to update your child’s name and/or birth certificate, where necessary. To obtain a new birth certificate you will need to submit a request through Vital Records in the state that issued the initial birth certificate. If outside of Pennsylvania, check with the local office regarding their specific […]
The rights of the other biological parent will need to be terminated in connection with any adoption. Their parental rights can be terminated voluntarily or involuntarily. With voluntary termination the other natural parent will sign a consent to the adoption which is subsequently attached to the Petition for Adoption. There must be at least thirty […]
In Pennsylvania any individual may be adopted regardless of their age or residence. Additionally, any individual may become an adopting parent. Consent of the adoptee is required in all instances where the adoptee is twelve years of age or older. The prospective parent(s) must obtain certain clearances whenever the adoptee is a minor. The adoptee […]
If contemplating an adoption you can start the process by gathering the necessary paperwork that must be submitted to the court along with adoption petition. Exactly which documents you will need to include depend on what type of adoption you are seeking. All interested parties must be advised of the availability of ACT 101 and […]
It is possible to keep in touch with your child subsequent to the termination of your parental rights and their adoption if all parties to the action, i.e. natural parents/relatives and adoptive parents, mutually agree. Act 101, which became law in 2010, authorizes post-adoption contact by agreement of all the parties. Specifically, a birth relative […]
Adoption will establish all the legal rights, duties and responsibilities as exist for natural born children between the adoptee and the prospective parent(s). Those rights and duties include, but are not limited to, the right of the child to inherit through you and your family, the legal obligation to financially support the child, the right […]
There are two options to place a child for adoption. The first option is to surrender the child to the appropriate agency. This can include the county social services agency or private adoption agency. Under 23 Pa C.S. 2501, written notice of intent to give custody of the child to the agency should be presented […]
A foreign adoption decree is a decree issued from another country regarding adoption that took place abroad. If you have adopted a child from abroad, you can take steps to register that foreign adoption here in the United States. Pennsylvania discusses the applicable steps in 23 Pa. C.S. Section 2908. The adoptive parents can file […]
If you have adopted a child from abroad, there are several steps to take to finalize the adoption domestically. A re-adoption being filed in the United States can serve a few purposes. It can allow for an adoption decree that is in English. It can be required for immigration purposes. It may also be helpful […]
Pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S. Section 2711(a), a consent must be signed by the following individuals where applicable: (1) the child(ren) being adopted if over 12 years of age; (2) the spouse of the adopting parent if that spouse is not also a petitioner; (3) the natural parent(s) of any minor child(ren) being adopted; (4) […]
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