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What are the rights and duties of adoptive parents in Minnesota?

On Behalf of | Aug 13, 2015 | Family Law |

Adopting a child can be an amazing experience. And while bringing love and a stable environment to a deserving child can be rewarding, the process of adoption can be time consuming and frustrating. Minnesota courts grant specific rights and responsibilities to prospective adoptive parents, but some state residents may not know what they are. So here is a quick overview of some of these rights and responsibilities.

One of the first responsibilities of prospective Minnesota adoptive parents is that they must first finish an adoption study before any child is placed with them. The study is conducted by an approved adoption agency, and it determines whether the couple is suited to have a child placed in their home. This report must be revised every year until the adoption process is complete. A copy of the study is submitted to a family court once the adoptive parents file for adoption.

Prospective parents must get a court order that permits a child to live with them. This order can be obtained within 60 days of having the child placed in their home. They must also inform the birth parents of the child they want to adopt of their legal rights to counseling and representation, and they must pay for up to 35 hours of counseling for the birth parents if required.

Minnesota courts have also provided prospective adoptive parents with certain rights. These include getting a complete social and medical history for both the child they want to adopt and the child’s birth parents. They also have the right to receive specific information from an adoption agency, including knowing what fees will be charged, the estimated time it will take to place a child in their home, the agency services that are available to them and help in completing a legal adoption.

This post is not meant to provide legal advice. Therefore, Minnesota residents who are interested in finding out additional information on adoption may want to consult with a family law attorney. These legal professionals can help explain the state requirements for the adoption process in more detail.

Source: mncourts.gov, “Completing an adoption in Minnesota”, Accessed Aug. 10, 2015