{"id":372693,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-adoption-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-08-20T15:34:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T20:34:33","slug":"georgia-adoption-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-adoption-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Adoption Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Georgia Adoption Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Melissa McCall, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

If you are considering adoption in the State of Georgia, you should know the nuances of Georgia’s adoption laws. In the United States, state law governs most domestic adoptions so you can expect variances in adoption law from state to state. To understand the adoption process<\/a> in Georgia, we must examine its adoption laws.<\/p>\r\n

This FindLaw article will explore Georgia’s adoption laws.<\/p>\r\n

Adoption Basics<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Most adoptions feature a familiar paradigm: a person or couple adopts another person, usually a minor child, and becomes that child’s legal parent. The prospective adoptive parents must meet the state’s eligibility criteria before officially beginning the process. The prospective parents then work with a child-placing agency (public or private) to find a child to adopt. Once they find a child to adopt, they can begin the legal process by filing an adoption petition.<\/p>\r\n

Most states, including Georgia, require a home study as part of the legal process, as is ensuring termination of the biological parent’s parental rights. Once the prospective adoptive family has completed all the steps in the adoption process, they can ask the court to finalize the adoption.<\/p>\r\n

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children<\/a> governs the adoption process for interstate adoptions.<\/p>\r\n

Georgia Adoption Eligibility Criteria<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Every state sets eligibility criteria for those wishing to adopt within its borders. Georgia’s eligibility criteria include the following:<\/p>\r\n