WASHINGTON

 Any person who is legally competent and is at least 18 years old can adopt.

Who Can Be Adopted?

 Any person can be adopted.

Consent to Adoption

 The following parties must consent to the adoption:

 (1) the parents and any alleged father of an adoptee under 18 years of age;

 (2) the legal guardian of the adoptee;

 (3) the adoptee, if 14 years of age or older; and

 (4) any agency who has custody of the adoptee.

 Consent to the adoption is not required when

 (1) the court determines by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that theproposed adoption is in the best interest of the child;

 (2) the parents' parental rights have been terminated; or

 (3) the parent has failed to perform parental duties, showing a substantiallack of regard for his or her parental obligation.

 Consent cannot occur sooner than 48 hours after the child's birth. Consentcan be revoked at any time before it is approved by the court. Consent can berevoked through written revocation, or within 1 year of its approval for fraudor duress, or for lack of mental competency on the part of the person givingconsent.

Confidentiality

 All records of adoption shall be sealed and not open to inspection by anyoneexcept upon a court order. Nonidentifying information may be disclosed uponreceipt of a request for information from the adoptive parents, adoptee, or thenatural parent.

 An adoptee over the age of 21, an adoptee under the age of 21 with thepermission of the adoptive parents, or the birth parents may petition the courtto appoint a confidential intermediary. The intermediary will search for anddiscreetly contact the birth parent or the adoptee. If consent is given byboth parties, the court may then order the disclosure of identifyinginformation.

 Prior to an adoptee's being placed the adoptive parents are provided with allavailable information concerning mental or physical health history of thenatural parents that needs to be known by the adoptive parent, withoutrevealing the identity of the natural parents.

Permissible Fees

 The agency, department, or court-approved individual may charge the adoptiveparents reasonable fees based on time spent conducting the preadoption studyand preparing the preplacement report. This fee is subject to review by thecourt at the adoptive parent's request.

Place of Adoption Hearing

 The adoption hearing shall take place in the county where the adoptive parentsor the adoptee resides.

Authority To Place Child

 Any public or private association, corporation, or individual licensed orcertified by the department as a child-placing agency or as an adoption agency,may place a child.

Relative Adoption

 A preplacement or post-placementreport on an adoptive parent is not required in stepparent adoptions.

Advertisements

 No person or entity other than a duly authorized agent of the department or alicensed child placing agency, shall advertise a child offered or wanted foradoption or hold himself/herself out as having the ability to place, locate,dispose or receive a child for adoption.

Attorney Referral Service

Washington State Bar Association
500 Westin Bulding
2001 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121-2599
(206) 727-8200

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