This chapter shall be liberally construed to the end that the best interests of adopted children are promoted. Due regard shall be given to the rights of all persons affected by a child’s adoption.
Any person may be adopted.
(a) The following persons may adopt: (1) a husband and wife together; (2) an unmarried adult; (3) the unmarried father or mother of the person to be adopted; (4) a married person without the other spouse joining as a petitioner, if the person to be adopted is not the other spouse, and if (A) the […]
(a) Proceedings for adoption shall be brought in the superior court for the district in which, at the time of filing or granting the petition, the petitioner or the person to be adopted resides or is in military service, or in which the agency having the care, custody, or control of the minor is located. […]
(a) Unless consent is not required under AS 25.23.050, a petition to adopt a minor may be granted only if written consent to a particular adoption has been executed by (1) the mother of the minor; (2) the father of the minor, if the father was married to the mother at the time the minor […]
(a) Consent to adoption is not required of (1) for purposes of this section, a parent who has abandoned a child for a period of at least six months; (2) a parent of a child in the custody of another, if the parent for a period of at least one year has failed significantly without […]
(a) The required consent to adoption shall be executed at any time after the birth of the child in the presence of the court or in the presence of a person authorized to take acknowledgments. The consent is not valid unless the consent form states that the person consenting to the adoption has the right […]
(a) A consent to adoption may not be withdrawn after the entry of a decree of adoption. (b) A consent to adoption may be withdrawn before the entry of a decree of adoption, within 10 days after the consent is given, by delivering written notice to the person obtaining the consent, or after the 10-day […]
(a) The caption of a petition for adoption shall be styled substantially “In the Matter of the Adoption of …………….”. The person to be adopted shall be designated in the caption under the name by which the person is to be known if the petition is granted. If the child is placed for adoption by […]
(a) Except as specified in (b) of this section, the petitioner in any proceeding for the adoption of a minor shall file, before the petition is heard, a full accounting report in a manner acceptable to the court of all disbursements of anything of value made or agreed to be made by or on behalf […]
(a) After the filing of a petition to adopt a minor, the court shall fix a time and place for hearing the petition unless the petition is held in abeyance under AS 47.10.111. At least 20 days before the date of hearing, the petitioner shall give notice of the filing of the petition and of […]
A final decree of adoption may not be issued until the minor to be adopted, other than a stepchild of the petitioner, has lived in the adoptive home and the department or any other qualified agency or person designated by the court has had an opportunity to observe or investigate the adoptive home. This observation […]
(a) The presence of the petitioner and the person to be adopted is not required at the hearing on the petition unless ordered by the court. (b) The court may continue the hearing from time to time to permit further observation, investigation, or consideration of any facts or circumstances affecting the granting of the petition. […]
(a) If the person to be adopted is a minor under the age of 10 and the person is of sufficient age and intelligence to state desires concerning the adoption, the court shall consider the person’s desires. (b) The court may appoint a guardian ad litem or attorney, or both, under AS 25.24.310 for a […]
Taking into consideration a child’s stated preference under AS 25.23.125(a) and consent given under AS 25.23.040(a)(5), and unless the court finds that a petition to adopt the child by an adult family member is contrary to the best interest of the child, the court shall grant a petition to adopt a child by an adult […]
(a) A final decree of adoption, whether issued by a court of this state or of any other state, has the following effect as to matters within the jurisdiction or before a court of this state: (1) except with respect to a spouse of the petitioner and relatives of the spouse, to relieve the natural […]
(a) An appeal from any final order or decree rendered under this chapter may be taken in the manner and time provided for appeal from a judgment in a civil action. (b) Subject to the disposition of an appeal, upon the expiration of one year after an adoption decree is issued, the decree may not […]
(a) All hearings held in proceedings under this chapter shall be held in closed court without admittance of any person other than essential officers of the court, the parties, their witnesses, counsel, persons who have not previously consented to the adoption but are required to consent, and representatives of the agencies present to perform their […]
A decree of court terminating the relationship of parent and child or establishing the relationship by adoption issued under due process of law by a court of any other jurisdiction within or outside of the United States shall be recognized in this state and the rights and obligations of the parties as to matters within […]
Within 30 days after an adoption decree becomes final, the clerk of the court shall, if requested by the adoptive parents, prepare an application for a birth certificate in the name of the adopted person. Upon issuing a decree terminating parental rights on grounds set out in AS 25.23.180(c)(2) the court may order the preparation […]