(a) No person, organization, group, agency, or any legal entity may accept any fee whatsoever for bringing the adopting parent or parents together with the adoptee or the natural parents. A violation of this section shall be punished under Section 26-10A-33.
(b) Prior to payment, the petitioners must file with the court a full accounting of all charges for expenses, fees, or services they or persons acting on their behalf will be paying relating to the adoption. Payment may be made only with court approval except that fees may be placed in an escrow account prior to court approval. The court may not refuse to approve a fee for documented services on the sole basis that a child has not been placed. The court shall approve all reasonable fees and expenses unless determined by the court to be unreasonable based upon specific written findings of fact.
(c) The petitioner must file a sworn statement that is a full accounting of all disbursements paid in the adoption.
(d) Under penalty of perjury, the adoptive parents and the parent or parents surrendering the minor for adoption shall, prior to the entry of the final adoption order, sign affidavits stating that no moneys or other things of value have been paid or received for giving the minor up for adoption. In addition to any penalties for perjury, the payment or receipt of money as referred to herein shall be punished as set forth in Section 26-10A-33.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.
Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.
Section 26-10A-1 - Short Title.
Section 26-10A-2 - Definitions.
Section 26-10A-3 - Jurisdiction.
Section 26-10A-5 - Who May Adopt.
Section 26-10A-6 - Who May Be Adopted.
Section 26-10A-7 - Persons Whose Consents or Relinquishment Are Required.
Section 26-10A-8 - Consent or Relinquishment by a Minor Parent.
Section 26-10A-9 - Implied Consent or Relinquishment.
Section 26-10A-10 - Persons Whose Consents or Relinquishments Are Not Required.
Section 26-10A-11 - Consent or Relinquishment.
Section 26-10A-12 - Persons Who May Take Consent or Relinquishments; Forms.
Section 26-10A-13 - Time of Consent or Relinquishment; Filing With Court.
Section 26-10A-14 - Withdrawal of Consent or Relinquishment.
Section 26-10A-15 - Surrender of Custody of Minor Under Age of Majority.
Section 26-10A-17 - Notice of Petition.
Section 26-10A-18 - Custody Pending Final Decree.
Section 26-10A-19 - Investigation.
Section 26-10A-20 - Removal of Adoptee From County.
Section 26-10A-21 - Related Proceedings.
Section 26-10A-23 - Fees and Charges.
Section 26-10A-24 - Contested Hearing.
Section 26-10A-25 - Final Decree; Dispositional Hearing.
Section 26-10A-27 - Stepparent Adoptions.
Section 26-10A-28 - Adoption by Other Relatives.
Section 26-10A-29 - Name and Status of Adoptee.
Section 26-10A-30 - Grandparent Visitation.
Section 26-10A-31 - Confidentiality of Records, Hearing; Parties.
Section 26-10A-32 - Birth Certificates.
Section 26-10A-33 - Crime to Place Children for Adoption.
Section 26-10A-35 - Bringing Child Into State for Adoption Purposes.
Section 26-10A-37 - Rules of Procedure and Rules of Evidence.