District Of Columbia's Adoption Laws

• Adoption Records
• Consent To Adoption
• Parties To An Adoption
• Birth Father Statutes
• Adoption Expenses
• International Expenses
• General Adoption Statutes

Adoption Records

District of Columbia

Statute: §§ 4-1302.03; 4-1302.04

Records Confidential: Yes

Persons with access to records

• CPS/State Agencies

• Agencies From Other States

• Courts/Judges

• Law Enforcement

• Attorneys General/Prosecutors

• Attorneys, GAL's

• Physicians

• Researchers

• Employers

• Parents/Guardians

• Review Teams

• Subject of Reports

Persons without access to records

• Grand Juries

• Reporters of Abuse

• Coroners

• Treatment Providers

• Public/Any Person

Other Child-placing agency

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Consent to Adoption

The consent may be signed any time following the birth.

Pre-consents are not allowed in the state of District Of Columbia.

Revocation Time Frame in District Of Columbia

If the adoption is being handled by an adoption agency, the consent may be revoked up to 10 days following the signing of the consent.

Parties to an Adoption

District of Columbia

• Any person may adopt.

• A married person must petition jointly with his spouse.

Any minor or adult

• The parent

• A guardian

• A relative within the third degree

• A licensed child placing-agency

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Birth Father Statutes

Does State have a Putative Father Registry: No

Registry/Paternity Requirements to Receive Notice
Statute: §§ 16-2357; 16-304; 16-2359

• Notice of termination proceeding is given to both parents, court appointed guardian or licensed agency.
• If parent is given proper notice and does not appear at the hearing, judge may proceed without him/her.
• When a parent cannot be located, or has abandoned the prospective adoptee and voluntarily failed to contribute to his support for a period of at least six months preceding the date of the filing of the petition, notice is not required.

Information Contained in Registry/Claim
Statute:

• Not addressed in statutes reviewed.

Revocation of Claim to Paternity
Statute:

• Not addressed in statutes reviewed.

Access to Information Maintained in Registry
Statute:

• Not addressed in statutes reviewed.

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Adoption Expenses

District of Columbia

Not addressed in statutes reviewed

Not addressed in statutes reviewed

No person or agency may charge for services in connection with placing a child for adoption.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child 

Not addressed in statutes reviewed

Allowable Fees Charged by Department/Agency Statute: § 4-1410

 A licensed agency that is operated for religious or charitable purposes may charge an amount not to exceed average costs incurred.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court An accounting is not specifically required in the statutes, but the court may require one.

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

International Expenses

Statutes Include Information on International Adoption: No

Effect of Foreign Adoption Decree:

• Not addressed in statutes reviewed.

Validation of Foreign Adoption:

• Not addressed in statutes reviewed.

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

General Adoption Statutes

District of Columbia

1. • Child placement agency
2. • Mayor

1. • Environs, antecedents, assets of the child
2. • Whether child is the proper subject for adoption

Contents of Report About Birth Parents Not addressed in statutes reviewed

1. • Suitability of home
2. • Whether a subsidy will be given

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

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