Documents Needed for a California Adult Adoption
There are numerous documents that are needed for an adult adoption in California. These documents have to be meticulously prepared and contain very specific language in order for the adoption to be approved by the court. If a mistake is made in the content of the documents or in how they look, the court can deny your adult adoption attempt outright, making it essential to have an adult adoption attorney at your side to help throughout the process.
Necessary Documents for an Adult Adoption in California
There are four, and sometimes five, documents you need for an adult adoption:
- Adoption Agreement,
- Petition for the Approval of the Adoption Agreement,
- Order of Adoption,
- VS-44 Form, and, sometimes,
- Spousal Consent
The Spousal Consent form is only required if either the Adoptive Parent or the Adult Adoptee are married at the time of the adoption.
The Adoption Agreement
This is the document that contains the agreement between the two people to assume a legal parent-child relationship. The person who wants to become the parent is called the adoptive parent, while the person who wants to become the child in the relationship is called the adoptee. Without this form, it is unclear whether both people truly want the adoption to take place, so the court demands that it be included in the adoption documentation.
The Petition for the Approval of the Adoption Agreement
This document formally requests the court to approve the Adoption Agreement. It also contains information that the court needs to know before it can approve the adult adoption, including:
- The ages of the adoptive parent and adoptee,
- The reasons for the adult adoption, and
- How long the adoptive parent and adoptee have known each other, and in what capacity.
If the adoptive parent and the adoptee are too close in age or are seeking the adoption for reasons that go against public policy, the court might deny the adoption request. This Petition is where you can put the court's worries to rest.
The Order of Adoption
The Order of Adoption is the document that will end up being presented at the adoption hearing. The judge will sign this document if all goes well.
Spousal Consent
If either the adoptive parent or the adoptee is married, then the spouse is legally required to formally consent to the adult adoption process in order for it to happen.
The VS-44 Form
The VS-44 is a legal document that is required for all adoptions in California, and adult adoptions are no exception. The Court will not correct any mistakes you make on this form. The Court will complete a box that says the Adoption took place, then forward the form to the Office of Vital Records.
Adult Adoption Attorney in California: John J. Pearson
John J. Pearson is an attorney who represents people seeking an adult adoption. By being intimately familiar with the process and what the court will want to see in the documentation, he can help adoptive parents and adoptees get the formal recognition they want. Contact him online to get started.