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Legal Definition of Adoption
Meaning of Adoption
Legal process where parental rights are transferred from birth parents to adoptive parents.
Learn more with the Adoption Thesaurus
Synonyms of Adoption
(Acceptance), noun
- approbation
- approval
- assimilation
- assumption
- attachment to
- choice
- cooptation
- election
- embracement
- espousal
- favorable reception
- ratification
- reception
- recognition
- sanction
- selection
- Associated Concepts: adoption by estoppel
- adoption of a contract
- adoption of a proposal
- adoption of domicile
- arrogation
(Affiliation), noun
- adoptio
- custody
- fosterage
- guardianship
- parentage
- protection
- protectorship
- wardship Associated Concepts: adoption decree
- adoption petition
- custody
- foster care
- foster parent
- inheritance by adoption
- intestate succession
- legitimation
- legitimation of child
- parental rights
- paternity proceedings
- support
- wards of the juvenile court
Related Entries of Adoption in the Encyclopedia of Law Project
Browse or run a search for Adoption in the American Encyclopedia of Law, the Asian Encyclopedia of Law, the European Encyclopedia of Law, the UK Encyclopedia of Law or the Latin American and Spanish Encyclopedia of Law.
Adoption in Historical Law
You might be interested in the historical meaning of this term. Browse or search for Adoption in Historical Law in the Encyclopedia of Law.
Legal Abbreviations and Acronyms
Search for legal acronyms and/or abbreviations containing Adoption in the Legal Abbreviations and Acronyms Dictionary.
What does Adoption mean in American Law?
The definition of Adoption in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:
See adopt; adoption of child.
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You might be interested in these references tools:
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Adoption in the Dictionary | Adoption in our legal dictionaries |
| Related topics | Browse topics from the World Wiki Encyclopedia of Law |
| Browse the Legal Thesaurus | Find synonyms and related words of Adoption |
| Legal Maxims | Maxims are established principles that jurists use as interpretive tools, invoked more frequently in international law |
| Legal Answers (Q&A) | A community-driven knowledge creation process, of enduring value to a broad audience |
| Related topics | Adoption in the World Encyclopedia of Law |
What is Adoption?
Vocabularies (Semantic Web Information)
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Topic Map | A group of names, occurrences and associations |
| Topic Tree | A topic display format, showing the hierarchy |
| Sitemap Index | Sitemap Index, including Taxonomies |
| https://legaldictionary.lawin.org/adoption | The URI of Adoption (more about URIs) |
Adoption Legal Definition
Adoption in Connecticut
Means the establishment by court order of the legal relationship of parent and child General Statutes of Connecticut (U.S.) § 45a-707(a) (2013).
Note: Definition based in the Connecticut Judicial Branch Family Glossary
Resources
See Also
Adolescent Parenthood; Children's Rights; Family Law; Gay Parents; Lesbian Parents; Orphans; Single-Parent Families
Further Reading
atkin, b. (1997). “dealing with family violence: familylaw in new zealand.” in the international survey of family law 1995, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
bartholet, e. (2000). “international adoption: overview.”in adoption law and practice, ed. j. heifetz hollinger. new york: lexis publishing.
bodde, d., and morris, c. (1967). law in imperial china.philadelphia: university of pennsylvania press.
boskey, j. b., and hollinger, j. (2000). “placing children for adoption.” in adoption law and practice, ed. j. heifetz hollinger. new york: lexis publishing.
bubic, s. (1998). “family law in bosnia and herzogovinia.” in the international survey of family law 1996, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
cretney, s. m., and masson, j. m. (1997). principles offamily law, 6th edition. london: sweet and maxwell.
deliyannis, i. (1997). “reforming the law of adoption.”in the international survey of family law 1995, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
de oliviera, g., and cid, n. de s. (1998). “family law inportugal.” in the international survey of family law 1996, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
dóczi, m. (1997). “family law in hungary.” in the international survey of family law 1995, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
forder, c. (2000). “opening up marriage to same sexpartners and providing for adoption by same sex couples, managing information on sperm donors, and lots of private international law.” in the international survey of family law 2000 edition, ed. a. bainham. bristol, uk: jordan.
More Further Reading
frank, r. (1997). “the need for reform in parentagelaw.” in the international survey of family law 1995, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
gager, k. e. (1996). blood ties and fictive ties. princeton,nj: princeton university press.
goody, j. (1969). “adoption in cross-cultural perspective.” comparative studies in society and history 11:55-78.
graham-siegenthaler, b. (1995). “family law in switzerland.” in family law in europe, ed. c. hamilton and k. standley. london: butterworths.
grosman, c. p. (1998). “the recent reform of argentineadoption law.” in the international survey of family law 1996, ed. a. bainham. the hague, netherlands: kluwer law international.
harrison, a. r. w. (1968). the law of athens. oxford, uk:clarendon press.
hampton, l. p. (2000). “the aftermath of adoption: support, inheritance and taxes.” in adoption law and practice, ed. j. heifetz hollinger. new york: lexis publishing.
hollinger, j. h. (2000a). “adoption of native americanchildren.” in adoption law and practice, ed. j. heifetz hollinger. new york: lexis publishing.
hollinger, j. h. (2000b). “adoption procedure.” in adoption law and practice, ed. j. heifetz hollinger. new york: lexis publishing.
hornblower, s., and spanforth, a. (1996). the oxford classical dictionary. new york: oxford university press.
khazova, o. (2000). “three years after the adoption of the new russian family code.” in the international survey of family law 2000 edition, ed. a. bainham. bristol, uk: jordan.
English Legal System: Adoption
In the context of the English law, A Dictionary of Law provides the following legal concept of Adoption :
1. The process by which a parent’s legal rights and duties in respect of an unmarried minor are transferred to another person or persons. Adoption can only take place by means of an adoption order made by a magistrates’ court (in the family proceedings court), county court, or the High Court (in the Children Branch of the Family Division). Adoption differs from fostering in that it affects all the parents’ rights and duties and it is a permanent change. After adoption the natural parents are (except for the rules relating to *affinity and *incest) no longer considered in law to be the parents of the child, who is henceforth regarded as the legal child of the adoptive parents (See also adoptive relationship). However, the court may make a contact order (See section 8 orders) at the time the adoption order is made. Contact after adoption is becoming a contentious issue and recently the court has allowed a natural parent to seek permission to apply for a contact order in respect of an adopted child.
The first (but not the only) consideration in deciding whether or not a child should be adopted is whether the adoption would safeguard and promote the welfare of the child. The court must, if possible, try to ascertain the child’s wishes and in addition take account of all the circumstances. This may involve consulting expert opinion (e.g. of psychiatrists or social workers). The court may also appoint a *children’s guardian to act in the child’s interests. There are many provisions in the Adoption Act 1976 as amended by the Children Act 1989 designed to make sure that an adoption would be in the child’s best interests. Every local authority must set up an *adoption service, and *adoption societies are carefully controlled; in addition, the government is anxious to increase the adoption of children who are currently in the care of the local authority. There are rules as to who may adopt and who may be adopted and provisions for a probationary period, during which the child lives with the would-be adopter(s) and the court assesses whether he gets on well with them. One of the ways in which a commissioning couple may attain the legal status of parents in relation to a child born to a surrogate mother is by adopting the child; however, this is becoming less common now that the couple can apply for a *section 30 order (parental order) under the Human Embryology and Fertilization Act 1990.
See surrogacy; human assisted reproduction.
Normally a child cannot be adopted without the consent of each of its parents or guardians, but in some cases the court may make an adoption order without the parents’ consent (e.g. if they cannot be found or have ill-treated the child). If the court thinks that the parents are refusing unreasonably to agree to an adoption that would be in the child’s best interests, it may make an adoption order against the parents’ wishes. A parent may consent either to a specific adoption or to an order *freeing for adoption by whomever the court eventually decides is best suited to adopt the child. Since the Children Act 1989 the courts now have the option of making a section 8 order either instead of an adoption order, so that parental responsibility may be shared (e.g. a residence order), or in addition to it (e.g. a contact order). Adoption law is currently under review and there are recommendations to make it a duty of the court, when considering whether to make an adoption order, to consider alternative orders available under the Children Act, and to bring adoption law in line with the principles of the Act by making the child’s welfare of paramount importance in adoption proceedings. In addition, a court will be able to dispense with parental consent if the welfare of the child demands this.
The Registrar General must keep a register containing details of all adoption orders, which any member of the pub
lic may consult. An adopted child over the age of 18 has a right to see a copy of his original birth certificate in order to find out who his natural parents are. Although natural parents can register their interest in contacting their children who have been adopted, they have no corresponding right to trace these adopted children.
2. Reliance by a court on a rule of international law that has not been expressly made part of the law of the land but is not inconsistent with it.
3. The decision of a local authority or similar body to bring into force in their areas.
an Act of Parliament conferring powers on them at their optio
Definition of Adoption
A legal process whereby all rights and responsibilities of the original parent or parents are transferred to a new parent or parents.
Adoption
Adoption
Meaning of Adoption
In this law dictionary, the legal term adoption is a kind of the Family law class.
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