ADOPTIONS
CONSENT IN ADOPTION
A birth parent’s rights to their child may be terminated voluntarily
by the parent signing a Consent. A Consent is a legal document signed by a birth parent in
front of a Notary Public and in front of a Witness. The Consent document identifies the
child and indicates that the parent is voluntarily giving up their parent/child
relationship to that child. The Consent states that the parent is signing without pressure
from another person, and with full knowledge of the legal impact of signing the document.
For King County adoptions, King County Adoption Services also investigates to confirm with
the consenting parent, that he or she has signed voluntarily.
INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION
A birth parent may refuse to sign a
Consent to voluntarily terminate their parent/child relationship. When the adopting
parents file a petition and the parent refuses to consent, a trial of the issues will be
had in front of a Judge. The Judge may terminate a birth parent’s rights depending on
facts of the case. Some of the facts the Judge will consider might include non-payment of
financial support, no contact between parent and child, no phone calls from the parent, no
written greetings or gifts or correspondence for about 2 years.
CONSENT OF A
CHILD
A child 14 years or older is required to also consent to his adoption by
the adoptive parents. If the "child" is actually an adult (18 years or older),
he/she must consent.
The information contained in these pages
is not intended to be legal advice, and does not create an
attorney-client relationship. You should always consult with an attorney before taking any
action.
