California Code
Family Code - FAM
DIVISION 13 - ADOPTION

PART 1 - DEFINITIONS

Section 8500. - 8500. Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions...

Section 8502. - 8502. (a) “Adoption service provider” means any of the following:...

Section 8503. - 8503. “Adoptive parent” means a person who has obtained an...

Section 8506. - 8506. “Agency adoption” means the adoption of a minor, other...

Section 8509. - 8509. “Applicant” means a person who has submitted a written...

Section 8512. - 8512. “Birth parent” means the biological parent or, in the...

Section 8513. - 8513. “County adoption agency” means an adoption agency operated by...

Section 8514. - 8514. “Days” means calendar days, unless otherwise specified. (Added by...

Section 8515. - 8515. “Delegated county adoption agency” means a county adoption agency...

Section 8518. - 8518. “Department” means the State Department of Social Services. (Enacted...

Section 8521. - 8521. (a) “Full-service adoption agency” means a licensed or authorized...

Section 8524. - 8524. “Independent adoption” means the adoption of a child in...

Section 8527. - 8527. “Intercountry adoption” means the adoption of a foreign-born child...

Section 8530. - 8530. “Licensed adoption agency” means an agency licensed by the...

Section 8533. - 8533. (a) “Noncustodial adoption agency” means any licensed entity engaged...

Section 8539. - 8539. “Place for adoption” means, in the case of an...

Section 8542. - 8542. “Prospective adoptive parent” means a person who has filed...

Section 8543. - 8543. “Qualified court investigator” means a superior court investigator with...

Section 8545. - 8545. “Special needs child” means a child for whom all...

Section 8548. - 8548. “Stepparent adoption” means an adoption of a child by...

PART 2 - ADOPTION OF UNMARRIED MINORS

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

Section 8600. - 8600. An unmarried minor may be adopted by an adult...

Section 8600.5. - 8600.5. Tribal customary adoption as defined in Section 366.24 of...

Section 8601. - 8601. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), a...

Section 8601.5. - 8601.5. (a) A court may issue an order of adoption...

Section 8602. - 8602. The consent of a child, if over the age...

Section 8603. - 8603. (a) A married person, not lawfully separated from the...

Section 8604. - 8604. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a child...

Section 8605. - 8605. A child not having a presumed father under Section...

Section 8606. - 8606. Notwithstanding Sections 8604 and 8605, the consent of a...

Section 8606.5. - 8606.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other section in this part, and...

Section 8607. - 8607. All forms adopted by the department authorizing the release...

Section 8608. - 8608. (a) The department shall adopt regulations specifying the form...

Section 8609. - 8609. (a) Any person or organization that, without holding a...

Section 8609.5. - 8609.5. An adoption request for the adoption or readoption of...

Section 8610. - 8610. (a) The petitioners in a proceeding for adoption of...

Section 8611. - 8611. All court hearings in an adoption proceeding shall be...

Section 8612. - 8612. (a) The court shall examine all persons appearing before...

Section 8613. - 8613. (a) If the prospective adoptive parent is commissioned or...

Section 8613.5. - 8613.5. (a) (1) If it is impossible or impracticable for...

Section 8613.7. - 8613.7. On and after January 1, 2014, the court shall...

Section 8614. - 8614. Upon the request of the adoptive parents or the...

Section 8615. - 8615. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, an action may be...

Section 8616. - 8616. After adoption, the adopted child and the adoptive parents...

Section 8616.5. - 8616.5. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that some adoptive...

Section 8617. - 8617. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the existing...

Section 8618. - 8618. A child adopted pursuant to this part may take...

Section 8619. - 8619. The department shall adopt rules and regulations it determines...

Section 8619.5. - 8619.5. Whenever a final decree of adoption of an Indian...

Section 8620. - 8620. (a) (1) If a parent is seeking to relinquish...

Section 8621. - 8621. The department shall adopt regulations regarding the provision of...

Section 8622. - 8622. A licensed private adoption agency whose services are limited...

CHAPTER 1.5 - Adoption Facilitators

Section 8623. - 8623. A person or organization is an adoption facilitator if...

Section 8624. - 8624. Any advertising by an adoption facilitator shall: (a) Identify...

Section 8625. - 8625. An adoption facilitator shall not: (a) Mislead a person...

Section 8626. - 8626. An adoption facilitator shall disclose in the first oral...

Section 8627. - 8627. If the facilitator is acting on behalf of more...

Section 8628. - 8628. An adoption facilitator shall report in writing to the...

Section 8629. - 8629. For a period of 72 hours after signing a...

Section 8630. - 8630. The amount of fees paid to an adoption facilitator...

Section 8631. - 8631. All contracts entered into by an adoption facilitator shall...

Section 8632. - 8632. The adoption facilitator shall also explain the terms of...

Section 8632.5. - 8632.5. (a) The department shall establish and adopt regulations for...

Section 8633. - 8633. Any person or entity that violates this chapter is...

Section 8634. - 8634. Any contract entered into pursuant to this chapter is...

Section 8636. - 8636. (a) Prior to engaging in the business of, or...

Section 8637. - 8637. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, an attorney who...

Section 8638. - 8638. (a) Any person aggrieved by any violation of this...

Section 8639. - 8639. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any...

CHAPTER 2 - Agency Adoptions

Section 8700. - 8700. (a) Either birth parent may relinquish a child to...

Section 8700.5. - 8700.5. (a) A relinquishing birth parent may elect to sign...

Section 8701. - 8701. At or before the time a relinquishment is signed,...

Section 8702. - 8702. (a) The department shall adopt a statement to be...

Section 8703. - 8703. When the parental rights of a birth parent are...

Section 8704. - 8704. (a) The department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption...

Section 8704.5. - 8704.5. (a) A foster care license or certification or resource...

Section 8705. - 8705. (a) Where a child is in the custody of...

Section 8706. - 8706. (a) An agency may not place a child for...

Section 8707. - 8707. (a) The department shall establish a statewide photo-listing service...

Section 8707.1. - 8707.1. (a) The agency responsible for recruitment of potential adoptive...

Section 8708. - 8708. (a) The adoption agency to which a child has...

Section 8709. - 8709. (a) The department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption...

Section 8710. - 8710. (a) If a child is being considered for adoption,...

Section 8710.1. - 8710.1. If there is not an adoptive placement plan for...

Section 8710.2. - 8710.2. In order to preclude the delays or denials described...

Section 8710.3. - 8710.3. If the department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption...

Section 8710.4. - 8710.4. (a) The department shall ensure that information regarding families...

Section 8711. - 8711. Sections 8708 to 8710.4, inclusive, apply only in determining...

Section 8711.5. - 8711.5. The department shall adopt regulations to administer the provisions...

Section 8712. - 8712. (a) (1) The department, county adoption agency, or licensed...

Section 8713. - 8713. (a) In no event may a child who has...

Section 8714. - 8714. (a) A person desiring to adopt a nondependent child...

Section 8714.5. - 8714.5. (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following: (1)...

Section 8715. - 8715. (a) The department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption...

Section 8716. - 8716. Where a petition is filed for the adoption of...

Section 8717. - 8717. When any report or findings are submitted to the...

Section 8718. - 8718. The prospective adoptive parents and the child proposed to...

Section 8719. - 8719. If the petitioners move to withdraw the adoption petition...

Section 8720. - 8720. (a) If the department, county adoption agency, or licensed...

CHAPTER 2.5 - Adoptions by Relative Caregivers or Foster Parents

Section 8730. - 8730. (a) Subject to the requirements of subdivision (b), the...

Section 8731. - 8731. If the prospective adoptive parent of a child is...

Section 8732. - 8732. A report of a medical examination of the foster...

Section 8733. - 8733. The department, county adoption agency, or licensed adoption agency...

Section 8734. - 8734. The department shall encourage adoption agencies to make adoption...

Section 8735. - 8735. The department shall adopt regulations requiring county adoption agencies...

Section 8736. - 8736. The requirements of this chapter shall not be used...

CHAPTER 3 - Independent Adoptions

Section 8800. - 8800. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that an attorney’s...

Section 8801. - 8801. (a) The selection of a prospective adoptive parent or...

Section 8801.3. - 8801.3. A child shall not be considered to have been...

Section 8801.5. - 8801.5. (a) Each birth parent placing a child for adoption...

Section 8801.7. - 8801.7. (a) An adoption service provider shall also witness the...

Section 8802. - 8802. (a) Any of the following adult persons who desire...

Section 8803. - 8803. (a) During the pendency of an adoption proceeding: (1)...

Section 8804. - 8804. (a) Whenever the petitioners move to withdraw the petition...

Section 8805. - 8805. At the hearing, if the court sustains the recommendation...

Section 8806. - 8806. The department or delegated county adoption agency shall accept...

Section 8807. - 8807. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c),...

Section 8808. - 8808. (a) The department or delegated county adoption agency shall...

Section 8810. - 8810. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whenever...

Section 8811. - 8811. (a) The department or delegated county adoption agency shall...

Section 8811.5. - 8811.5. (a) A licensed private or public adoption agency of...

Section 8812. - 8812. Any request by a birth parent or birth parents...

Section 8813. - 8813. At or before the time a consent to adoption...

Section 8814. - 8814. (a) Except as provided in Section 7662, the consent...

Section 8814.5. - 8814.5. (a) After a consent to the adoption is signed...

Section 8815. - 8815. (a) Once the revocable consent to adoption has become...

Section 8816. - 8816. In an independent adoption where the consent of the...

Section 8817. - 8817. (a) A written report on the child’s medical background,...

Section 8818. - 8818. (a) The department shall adopt a statement to be...

Section 8819. - 8819. When the parental rights of a birth parent are...

Section 8820. - 8820. (a) The birth parent or parents or the petitioner...

Section 8821. - 8821. When any report or findings are submitted to the...

Section 8822. - 8822. (a) If the findings of the department or delegated...

Section 8823. - 8823. The prospective adoptive parents and the child proposed to...

CHAPTER 4 - Intercountry Adoptions

Section 8900. - 8900. (a) Intercountry adoption services described in this chapter shall...

Section 8900.5. - 8900.5. As used in this chapter: (a) “Accredited agency” means...

Section 8901. - 8901. The department shall adopt regulations to administer the intercountry...

Section 8902. - 8902. For intercountry adoptions that will be finalized in this...

Section 8903. - 8903. (a) For each intercountry adoption finalized in this state,...

Section 8904. - 8904. For an intercountry adoption that will be finalized in...

Section 8905. - 8905. Licensed adoption agencies may work only with domestic and...

Section 8906. - 8906. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit...

Section 8907. - 8907. The costs incurred by a licensed adoption agency pursuant...

Section 8908. - 8908. (a) A licensed adoption agency shall require each person...

Section 8909. - 8909. (a) An agency may not place a child for...

Section 8910. - 8910. (a) In no event may a child who has...

Section 8911. - 8911. As a condition of placement, the prospective adoptive parents...

Section 8912. - 8912. (a) An international adoption or readoption request may be...

Section 8913. - 8913. The prospective adoptive parents and the child proposed to...

Section 8914. - 8914. If the licensed adoption agency is a party to...

Section 8915. - 8915. When any report or findings are submitted to the...

Section 8916. - 8916. (a) If the petitioners move to withdraw the adoption...

Section 8917. - 8917. (a) If the licensed adoption agency finds that the...

Section 8918. - 8918. At the hearing, if the court sustains the recommendation...

Section 8919. - 8919. (a) In order to establish a record by which...

Section 8919.5. - 8919.5. (a) An intercountry adoption agency shall report the arrival...

Section 8920. - 8920. (a) A child who was adopted as part of...

Section 8921. - 8921. An adoption facilitator shall not offer, provide, or facilitate...

Section 8923. - 8923. (a) A complaint against an accredited agency or approved...

Section 8924. - 8924. (a) For cases in which a child is emigrating...

Section 8925. - 8925. A Hague adoption certificate or, in outgoing cases, a...

CHAPTER 5 - Stepparent Adoptions

Section 9000. - 9000. (a) A stepparent desiring to adopt a child of...

Section 9000.5. - 9000.5. (a) The procedures provided in this section apply to...

Section 9001. - 9001. (a) Except as provided in Section 9000.5, before granting...

Section 9002. - 9002. Except as provided in Section 9000.5, in a stepparent...

Section 9003. - 9003. (a) In a stepparent adoption, the consent of either...

Section 9004. - 9004. In a stepparent adoption, the form prescribed by the...

Section 9005. - 9005. (a) Consent of the birth parent to the adoption...

Section 9006. - 9006. (a) If the petitioner moves to withdraw the adoption...

Section 9007. - 9007. Except as provided in Section 9000.5, the prospective adoptive...

CHAPTER 6 - Vacation of Adoption

Section 9100. - 9100. (a) If a child adopted pursuant to the law...

Section 9101. - 9101. (a) If an order of adoption is set aside...

Section 9102. - 9102. (a) Except as provided in Section 9100, an action...

CHAPTER 7 - Disclosure of Information

Section 9200. - 9200. (a) The petition, relinquishment or consent, agreement, order, report...

Section 9201. - 9201. (a) Except as otherwise permitted or required by statute,...

Section 9202. - 9202. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department or licensed...

Section 9202.5. - 9202.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the laboratory that is...

Section 9203. - 9203. (a) The department or a licensed adoption agency shall...

Section 9203.1. - 9203.1. (a) The department or a licensed adoption agency shall,...

Section 9204. - 9204. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if an adult adoptee...

Section 9205. - 9205. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department, county adoption...

Section 9206. - 9206. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department or licensed...

Section 9208. - 9208. (a) The clerk of the superior court entering a...

Section 9209. - 9209. (a) Upon application by an Indian individual who has...

CHAPTER 8 - Adoption Proceedings: Conflict of Laws

Section 9210. - 9210. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and...

Section 9212. - 9212. (a) Sections 9210 and 9211 apply to interstate adoptions...

PART 3 - ADOPTION OF ADULTS AND MARRIED MINORS

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

Section 9300. - 9300. (a) An adult may be adopted by another adult,...

Section 9301. - 9301. A married person who is not lawfully separated from...

Section 9302. - 9302. (a) A married person who is not lawfully separated...

Section 9303. - 9303. (a) A person may not adopt more than one...

Section 9304. - 9304. A person adopted pursuant to this part may take...

Section 9305. - 9305. After adoption, the adoptee and the adoptive parent or...

Section 9306. - 9306. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c),...

Section 9307. - 9307. A hearing with regard to adoption under Chapter 2...

CHAPTER 2 - Procedure for Adult Adoption

Section 9320. - 9320. (a) An adult may adopt another adult who is...

Section 9321. - 9321. (a) The prospective adoptive parent and the proposed adoptee...

Section 9321.5. - 9321.5. (a) Notwithstanding Section 9321, a person who is a...

Section 9322. - 9322. When the petition for approval of the adoption agreement...

Section 9323. - 9323. The court may require notice of the time and...

Section 9324. - 9324. Both the prospective adoptive parent and the proposed adoptee...

Section 9325. - 9325. No investigation or report to the court by any...

Section 9326. - 9326. The prospective adoptive parent shall mail or personally serve...

Section 9327. - 9327. If the prospective adoptive parent is a provider of...

Section 9328. - 9328. (a) At the hearing the court shall examine the...

CHAPTER 3 - Procedure for Terminating Adult Adoption

Section 9340. - 9340. (a) Any person who has been adopted under this...