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Maryland law requires that the legal guardians of the person to be adopted consent to the adoption. For agency adoptions, the agency itself is often the guardian of the child and can consent. For most independent adoptions, the petitioner will need the consent of all living parents.

Maryland Code of Family Law Section 5-3B-13 establishes that any adult or minor child may be the subject of an independent adoption. Though an adult must file a petition with the state courts. And if such an adult is married, their spouse will generally join in the petition for adoption.

The adult adoption process includes an in-person consultation with an attorney, preparation of a petition for adoption and any accompanying legal documents based on the facts of the case, and attendance at least one hearing in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

If you choose to pursue an open adoption in Maryland, you'll begin to get to know your child's adoptive family immediately after choosing them. This could take place in the form of emails, phone calls, or in-person meetings ? whatever you're comfortable with.

An adoption begins with filing a petition for adoption in Circuit Court. If the natural parents can be found, they are given the opportunity to consent or object to the adoption. Investigations and reports are filed with the court, and a hearing is held. Finally, the court will either grant or deny the petition.

Hardest States to Adopt From This could be due to stringent adoption laws, lengthy waiting periods, or limited resources dedicated to the adoption process. States like New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey are often cited as having more challenging adoption processes.