ADOPTION & ART ATTORNEYS IN MARYLAND, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA & VIRGINIA
An adoption creates a legally recognized parent and child relationship between a child and an adult.
Once an adoption is finalized, the relationship between the parent(s) and child is as if the child had been born to them, and the parental rights of the legal and/or biological parent are terminated.
Adoptive Family Services in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC
Maryland adoption statutes require that any child over the age of 10 years must consent to the adoption. In the DC and Virginia, any child over the age of 14 years must consent to the adoption. If the adoption is contested, the court may appoint an attorney to represent the child. In Virginia, a guardian ad litem (GAL) is appointed in all newborn adoption cases.
Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia all have statutes that provide for three kinds of adoptions: private agency
public agency and independent/private/parental placement.
In private adoptions, the arrangements regarding the adoption are made directly between the birth parents and the adopting parents. In agency adoptions the child is placed with the agency which places the child with the adoptive parents. Maryland and the District of Columbia allow for
second parent adoption regardless of your marital status. Virginia allows married, same-sex parents to obtain a step-parent adoption. Unmarried same-sex couples in Virginia can complete a second parent adoption in DC if the child was born there after July 2009.
Maryland
In Maryland, a birth parent who signs a consent to adoption or relinquishment to an agency for adoption (both of which can only be signed after the baby is born) has 30 days to revoke consent. A birth parent may not revoke the consent if the parent revoked the consent for or filed an objection to the adoption in the preceding year, the adoptee is at least 30 days old and the consent was given before a judge. After the expiration of the 30-day revocation period, a birth parent can only disrupt the adoption if he/she can prove the consent was obtained through fraud.
District of Columbia
In the District of Columbia, a private adoption consent to adoption may be revoked or withdrawn only after a judicial determination that the consent was not voluntarily given. If a relinquishment to agency was signed, the birth parent has ten days to revoke their consent by giving notice to the agency.
Virginia
In a parental placement in Virginia, a birth mother gives her consent in a court proceeding at least three days after the child is born and has an additional seven days to revoke her consent. If the birth mother gives her consent more than 10 days after the birth of the child, she can waive her seven-day revocation period if she is represented by counsel. A consenting birth father may do the same or waive his rights pre-birth. Virginia has a birth father registry, and known birth fathers must be given notice of the registry.
Complete Guides to Adoption
ADOPTION IN MARYLAND
(The Complete Guide)
ADOPTION IN VIRGINIA
(The Complete Guide)
ADOPTION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Complete Guide)
CLICK HERE to learn what you need to know about Washington, D.C.
adoption whether you hope to adopt a child or you’re pregnant and need to place your baby for adoption in the District of Columbia.