Delete Pages From Legal West Virginia Adoption Forms For Free

West Virginia law allows any person to be adopted, but after the age of 12 the prospective adoptee must give their consent. West Virginia has specified adoption courts that hear adoption proceedings and make decisions in order to protect the best interests of the adoptee.

What Is Adult Adoption? Adult adoption is when the court creates a legal parent relationship between you and a person over the age of 18. Once the court grants the petition to adopt, a new birth certificate is issued and you have a permanent connection.

Any adult person who is a resident of West Virginia may petition the circuit court or any other court of record having jurisdiction of adoption proceedings for permission to adopt one who has reached the age of eighteen years or over, and, if desired, to change the name of such person.

Unless both parties apply to the Registry, the only other way to receive identifying information is through an order from the court in which the adoption occurred. Court orders must be issued by a judge and the original, signed order should be sent to the West Virginia Office of Social Services.

All records of proceedings in adoption cases and all papers and records relating to such proceedings shall be kept in the office of the clerk of the circuit court in a sealed file, which file shall be kept in a locked or sealed cabinet, vault or other container and shall not be open to inspection or copy by anyone, ...

Most open adoptions specify that, at 18 years of age, the adopted child will choose if they want to have a relationship with their birth family. When your adopted child enters adolescence, it's crucial they have a say about their relationship with their birth family.