Adoption

Persons seeking to adopt a child may file an application with the court seeking to have the court declare the child to be the child of the applicant(s).

A single person or spouses jointly may adopt a minor child who was born to different biological parents. In rare instances, an adult may be adopted.

There are several types of adoptions heard by the court:

Step-parent Adoption:

The person seeking to adopt is the step-parent of the child to be adopted.

Agency Adoption:

Parties may use the services of a licensed adoption agency. The birth parents either voluntarily surrender custody of the child to the agency, or the Juvenile Court may have terminated the parental rights of the birth parents.

Private Adoption:

A private adoption is effected when an attorney or a private adoption agency acts as an intermediary between the adopting parents and the birth parents.

Foreign Adoption:

A child born in a foreign country and adopted by an Ohio family is referred to as a foreign adoption.

Adult Adoption:

An adult adoption is used when an individual over 18 years wishes to be adopted and meets the criteria under Ohio law.