Massachusetts General Laws
Title III - Domestic Relations
Chapter 210 - Adoption of Children and Change of Names

Section 1 - Nature of Adoption; District or Juvenile Court - Section 1. A person of full age may petition the...

Section 2 - Written Consent of Certain Persons; Form of Consent; Identification of Father - Section 2. A decree of adoption shall not be made,...

Section 2a - Decree of Adoption; Entry; Conditions Precedent - Section 2A. No decree of adoption shall be entered for...

Section 2b - Adoption Decrees; Mandatory Language - Section 2B. Every decree of adoption entered by the court...

Section 3 - Dispensing With Required Consent in Certain Cases - Section 3. (a) Whenever a petition for adoption is filed...

Section 3b - Registration of Interest for Pre-Adoptive or Adoptive Placement; Criminal Record Review - Section 3B. When deciding whether to approve or reject a...

Section 4 - Notice - Section 4. If the written consent required by section two...

Section 4a - Fathers of Children Born Out of Wedlock; Adoption Rights - Section 4A. Whenever the mother of a child born out...

Section 5 - Failure to Object After Notice; Proceedings - Section 5. If, after such notice, a person whose consent...

Section 5a - Children Under Fourteen; Adoption; Regulations; Removals - Section 5A. Upon the filing of a petition for adoption...

Section 5b - Adoptive Custody; Factors Considered; Request for Religious Designation - Section 5B. In making orders for adoption, the judge shall...

Section 5c - Inspection of Pleadings, Reports, etc.; Docket Book - Section 5C. All petitions for adoption, all reports submitted thereunder...

Section 5d - Release of Information Concerning Adoption - Section 5D. (a) A placement agency, as defined in section...

Section 5e - Department of Children and Families Adoption Report - Section 5E. The department of children and families shall submit...

Section 6 - Decree of Court; Force and Effect; Private Hearings - Section 6. If the court is satisfied of the identity...

Section 6a - Certificates of Adoption - Section 6A. The court shall forthwith, following the making of...

Section 6b - Adoption Nunc Pro Tunc - Section 6B. In the event that either of the petitioning...

Section 6c - Agreement for Post-Adoption Contact or Communication - Section 6C. (a) Prior to the entry of an adoption...

Section 6d - Enforcement of Agreement - Section 6D. A party to a court-approved agreement for post-adoption...

Section 6e - Decisions of Adoptive Parent on Behalf of Child - Section 6E. Nothing contained in sections 6C and 6D shall...

Section 9 - Succession to Property; Right of Child Adopted in Foreign State - Section 9. A person adopted in another state or country,...

Section 10 - Second Adoption; Effect - Section 10. If the child has been previously adopted, all...

Section 11 - Appeals - Section 11. The supreme judicial court may allow a parent,...

Section 11a - Adoption Services Offered by Certain Persons or Agencies; Penalty - Section 11A. Any person or entity other than a duly...

Section 12 - Petitions for Change of Name - Section 12. A petition for the change of name of...

Section 13 - Notice and Certificate; Decree; Entry; Conditions Precedent - Section 13. The court shall, before decreeing a change of...

Section 14 - Annual Return of Changes of Name - Section 14. Each register of probate shall annually, in December,...