reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 26-10A-20 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-20 - Removal of Adoptee From County.

Section 26-10A-20Removal of adoptee from county. After the petitioner has received the adoptee into his or her home, the adoptee shall not be removed from the county in which the petitioner resides until the final decree has been issued for a period of longer than 15 consecutive days unless notice is given to the investigating agency or person. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §20.)
AL Code § 26-10A-21 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-21 - Related Proceedings.

Section 26-10A-21Related proceedings. If, at any time during the pendency of the adoption proceeding, it is determined that any other custody action concerning the adoptee is pending in the courts of this state or any other state or country, any party to the adoption proceeding, or the court on its own motion, may move to stay such adoption proceeding until a determination has been made by an appropriate court with jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) or the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA). The adoption may be transferred and consolidated with a custody proceeding pending in any court in this state. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §21; Act 99-435, p. 857, §1.)
AL Code § 26-10A-22 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-22 - Attorney Participation and Appointment of Attorney for the Adoptee or Other Party.

Section 26-10A-22Attorney participation and appointment of attorney for the adoptee or other party. (a) In making adoption arrangements, potential adopting parents and birth parents may obtain counsel to provide legal advice and assistance. (b) Upon the motion of any party, or upon the court's own motion, before or after the filing of petition for adoption the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for the adoptee, or for any incompetent or minor who is a party to the proceeding or who would be a party to the proceeding. In the event of a contested adoption, a guardian ad litem shall be appointed. The fees of a guardian ad litem shall be assessed as court costs. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §22.)
AL Code § 26-10A-23 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-23 - Fees and Charges.

Section 26-10A-23Fees and charges. (a) No person, organization, group, agency, or any legal entity may accept any fee whatsoever for bringing the adopting parent or parents together with the adoptee or the natural parents. A violation of this section shall be punished under Section 26-10A-33. (b) Prior to payment, the petitioners must file with the court a full accounting of all charges for expenses, fees, or services they or persons acting on their behalf will be paying relating to the adoption. Payment may be made only with court approval except that fees may be placed in an escrow account prior to court approval. The court may not refuse to approve a fee for documented services on the sole basis that a child has not been placed. The court shall approve all reasonable fees and expenses unless determined by the court to be unreasonable based upon specific written findings of fact. (c) The petitioner must file a sworn statement that is a full accounting of all disbursements paid in the adoption. (d) Under penalty of perjury, the adoptive parents and the parent or parents surrendering the minor for adoption shall, prior to the entry of the final adoption order, sign affidavits stating that no moneys or other things of value have been paid or received for giving the minor up for adoption. In addition to any penalties for perjury, the payment or receipt of money as referred to herein shall be punished as set forth in Section 26-10A-33. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §23.)
AL Code § 26-10A-24 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-24 - Contested Hearing.

Section 26-10A-24Contested hearing. (a) Whenever a motion contesting the adoption is filed, the court shall set the matter for a contested hearing to determine: (1) Whether the best interests of the adoptee will be served by the adoption. (2) Whether the adoptee is a person capable of being adopted by the petitioner in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. (3) Whether an actual or implied consent or relinquishment to the adoption is valid. (4) Whether a consent or relinquishment may be withdrawn. (b) The court shall give notice of the contested hearing by certified mail to all parties who have appeared before the court. The moving party and each petitioner shall be present at the contested hearing. The guardian ad litem shall appear and represent the interests of the adoptee. (c) The court may continue the hearing from time to time to permit notice to all parties, or to permit further discovery, observation, investigation, or consideration of any fact or circumstances affecting the granting of the adoption petition. The court may order the investigating officer, appointed under Section 26-10A-19, to investigate the allegations set forth in the motion for a contested hearing or the whereabouts of any person entitled to notice of the proceeding. (d) After hearing evidence at a contested hearing, the court shall dismiss the adoption proceeding if the court finds: (1) That the adoption is not in the best interests of the adoptee. (2) That a petitioner is not capable of adopting the adoptee. (3) That a necessary consent cannot be obtained or is invalid. (4) That a necessary consent may be withdrawn. Otherwise the court shall deny the motion of the contesting party. (e) On motion of either party or of the court, a contested adoption hearing may be transferred to the court having jurisdiction over juvenile matters. (f) All references to the names of the parties in the proceedings shall be by initial only. (g) Where the contested hearing is held in the probate court the judge may, upon completion of the contested hearing, immediately proceed with the dispositional hearing as provided in Section 26-10A-25. (h) Where there is a contested case hearing, if the adoption is denied, then the probate court or court of competent jurisdiction, unless just cause is shown otherwise by the contestant, shall issue an order for reimbursement to the petitioner or petitioners for adoption for all medical and living expenses incidental to the care and well-being of the minor child for the time the child resided with the petitioner or petitioners for adoption. (i) Where there is a contested hearing and the contest fails, then the probate court or court of competent jurisdiction, unless just cause is shown otherwise by the contestant, shall issue an order for reimbursement to the petitioner or petitioners for adoption for all legal costs incurred which are incidental to the contest. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §24; Act 99-435, p. 857, §1.)
AL Code § 26-10A-25 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-25 - Final Decree; Dispositional Hearing.

Section 26-10A-25Final decree; dispositional hearing. (a) When the pre-placement investigation has been completed and approved or the investigation has been waived for good cause shown, the petition for adoption shall be set for a dispositional hearing as soon as possible or no later than 90 days after the filing of the petition. When there has not been a pre-placement investigation or the investigation has not been waived for good cause shown or when the adoptee is a special needs child, the petition for adoption shall be set for a dispositional hearing as soon as possible or no later than 120 days after the filing of the petition. Upon good cause shown, the court may extend the time for the dispositional hearing and entry of the final decree. (b) At the dispositional hearing, the court shall grant a final decree of adoption if it finds on clear and convincing evidence that: (1) The adoptee has been in the actual physical custody of the petitioners for a period of 60 days, unless for good cause shown, this requirement is waived by the court; (2) All necessary consents, relinquishments, terminations, or waivers have been obtained and, if appropriate, have been filed with the court; (3) Service of the notice of pendency of the adoption proceeding has been made or dispensed with as to all persons entitled to receive notice under Section 26-10A-17; (4) All contests brought under Section 26-10A-24 have been resolved in favor of the petitioner; (5) That each petitioner is a suitable adopting parent and desires to establish a parent and child relationship between himself or herself and the adoptee; (6) That the best interests of the adoptee are served by the adoption; and (7) All other requirements of this chapter have been met. (c) The court shall enter its finding in a written decree which shall also include the new name of the adoptee, and shall not include any other name by which the adoptee has been known or the names of the natural or presumed parents. The final decree shall further order that from the date of the decree, the adoptee shall be the child of the petitioners, and that the adoptee shall be accorded the status set forth in Section 26-10A-29. (d) A final decree of adoption may not be collaterally attacked, except in cases of fraud or where the adoptee has been kidnapped, after the expiration of one year from the entry of the final decree and after all appeals, if any. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §25.)
AL Code § 26-10A-26 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-26 - Appeals.

Section 26-10A-26Appeals. (a) Appeals from any final decree of adoption shall be taken to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and filed within 14 days from the final decree. (b) An appeal from any final order or decree rendered under this chapter shall have priority in all courts and shall have precedence over all other matters, except for other matters which have been given priority by specific statutory provision or rule of court. The trial court may enter further orders concerning the custody of the adoptee pending appeal. (c) If an order, judgment, or decree rendered under this chapter is appealed, the party who files the appeal shall cause notice of the appeal to be transmitted to all persons entitled to receive notice pursuant to Section 26-10A-17, except for persons for whom consent or relinquishment has been implied under Section 26-10A-9 or whose consent or relinquishment is not required under Section 26-10A-10. Such notice of appeal shall set forth the pendency of the appeal and the right of interested parties to be heard. The notice shall not identify by name the party filing such appeal, unless the appellant is unrepresented, but shall specify the identity of the court in which the appeal is pending, the docket number of the petition, the general nature of the appeal, and the name, address, and telephone number of the attorney who has filed the petition. The caption of an appeal shall show only the initials of the adoptee's birthname. Only the initials of the natural parents and the petitioner shall be indicated in all pleadings and briefs. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §26.)
AL Code § 26-10A-27 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-27 - Stepparent Adoptions.

Section 26-10A-27Stepparent adoptions. Any person may adopt his or her spouse's child according to the provisions of this chapter, except that: (1) Before the filing of the petition for adoption, the adoptee must have resided for a period of one year with the petitioner, unless this filing provision is waived by the court for good cause shown; (2) No investigation under Section 26-10A-19 shall occur unless otherwise directed by the court, and (3) No report of fees and charges under Section 26-10A-23 shall be made unless ordered by the court. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §27.)
AL Code § 26-10A-28 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-28 - Adoption by Other Relatives.

Section 26-10A-28Adoption by other relatives. A grandfather, a grandmother, great-grandfather, great-grandmother, great-uncle, great-aunt, a brother, or a half-brother, a sister, a half-sister, an aunt or an uncle of the first degree and their respective spouses, if any may adopt a minor grandchild, a minor brother, a minor half-brother, a minor sister, a minor half-sister, a minor nephew, a minor niece, a minor great-grandchild, a minor great niece or a minor great nephew, according to the provisions of this chapter, except that: (1) Before the filing of the petition for adoption, the adoptee must have resided for a period of one year with the petitioner, unless this filing provision is waived by the court for good cause shown; (2) No investigation under Section 26-10A-19 shall occur unless otherwise directed by the court; and (3) No report of fees and charges under Section 26-10A-23 shall be made unless ordered by the court. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §28.)
AL Code § 26-10A-29 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-29 - Name and Status of Adoptee.

Section 26-10A-29Name and status of adoptee. (a) The adoptee shall take the name designated by the petitioner. After adoption, the adoptee shall be treated as the natural child of the adopting parent or parents and shall have all rights and be subject to all of the duties arising from that relation, including the right of inheritance. (b) Upon the final decree of adoption, the natural parents of the adoptee, except for a natural parent who is the spouse of the adopting parent are relieved of all parental responsibility for the adoptee and will have no parental rights over the adoptee. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §29.)
AL Code § 26-10A-30 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-30 - Grandparent Visitation.

Section 26-10A-30Grandparent visitation. Post-adoption visitation rights for the natural grandparents of the adoptee may be granted when the adoptee is adopted by a stepparent, a grandfather, a grandmother, a brother, a half-brother, a sister, a half-sister, an aunt or an uncle and their respective spouses, if any. Such visitation rights may be maintained or granted at the discretion of the court at any time prior to or after the final order of adoption is entered upon petition by the natural grandparents, if it is in the best interest of the child. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §29.1.)
AL Code § 26-10A-32 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-32 - Birth Certificates.

Section 26-10A-32Birth certificates. (a) Within 10 days of the final decree being entered the judge or the clerk of the court shall send a copy of the final order to the Department of Human Resources and shall send a certificate of the final order of adoption to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics of the State Board of Health upon the form supplied by the state registrar for that purpose. (b) Upon receipt of copy of any final order of adoption the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall cause to be made a new record of the birth in the new name and with the name or names of the adopting parent or parents as contained in the final decree. The state registrar shall then cause to be sealed and filed the original certificate of birth with the decree of the court. (c) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (c) of Section 22-9A-12, after the new birth certificate has been issued, the original birth certificate and the evidence of adoption are not subject to inspection except upon order of the court for good cause shown. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §31; Act 2000-794, p. 1869, §1.)
AL Code § 26-10A-33 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-33 - Crime to Place Children for Adoption.

Section 26-10A-33Crime to place children for adoption. Only a parent, a parent of a deceased parent, or a relative of the degree of relationship specified in Section 26-10A-28, the Department of Human Resources or a licensed child placing agency, or an agency approved by the Department of Human Resources may place a minor for adoption. No person or entity other than the Department of Human Resources or a licensed child placing agency shall engage in the business of placing minors for adoption. Any person or entity making more than two unrelated placements of minors for adoption within the preceding twelve-month period shall be deemed to be in the business of placing minors for adoption. Any other person who places a minor for adoption is guilty, upon the first conviction, of a Class A misdemeanor and upon subsequent convictions is guilty of a Class C felony. This section does not intend to make it unlawful for any person not engaged in the business of placing minors for adoption to give advice and assistance to a natural parent in an adoption. In making adoption arrangements, potential adopting parents and birth parents are entitled to the advice and assistance of legal counsel. Surrogate motherhood is not intended to be covered by this section. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §32.)
AL Code § 26-10A-34 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-34 - Payments to Parent for Placing Minor for Adoption; Maternity Expenses; Receipt of Financial Benefits by Father.

Section 26-10A-34Payments to parent for placing minor for adoption; maternity expenses; receipt of financial benefits by father. (a) It shall be a Class A misdemeanor for any person or agency to offer to pay money or anything of value to a parent for the placement for adoption, for the consent to an adoption, or for cooperation in the completion of an adoption of his or her minor. It shall be a Class C felony for any person or agency to pay money or anything of value to a parent for the placement of a child for adoption, for the consent to an adoption, or for cooperation in the completion of an adoption of his or her minor. This section does not make it unlawful to pay the maternity-connected medical or hospital and necessary living expenses of the mother preceding and during pregnancy-related incapacity as an act of charity, as long as the payment is not contingent upon placement of the minor for adoption, consent to the adoption, or cooperation in the completion of the adoption. (b) It shall be a Class C felony for any person or agency to receive any money or other thing of value for placing, assisting, or arranging a minor placement. This section is not intended to prohibit legitimate charges for medical, legal, prenatal, or other professional services. (c) Surrogate motherhood is not intended to be covered by this section. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §33.)
AL Code § 26-10A-35 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-35 - Bringing Child Into State for Adoption Purposes.

Section 26-10A-35Bringing child into state for adoption purposes. Children may be brought into Alabama for purposes of adoption as provided in Section 38-7-15 except that investigations shall be made as provided in Section 26-10A-19(c). (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §34.)
AL Code § 26-10A-36 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-36 - Advertisement as to Adoption by Persons, Organizations, etc., Not Licensed by Department of Human Resources.

Section 26-10A-36Advertisement as to adoption by persons, organizations, etc., not licensed by Department of Human Resources. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, organizations, corporation, partnership, hospital, association, or any agency to advertise verbally, through print, electronic media, or otherwise that they will: (1) Adopt children or assist in the adoption of children in violation of this chapter; (2) Place or assist in the placement of children in foster homes, group homes, or institutions in violation of this chapter; or (3) Pay or offer money or anything of value to the parents of a child in violation of Section 26-10A-34. Any violation of this section shall be punished as a Class A misdemeanor. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §35.)
AL Code § 26-10A-37 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-37 - Rules of Procedure and Rules of Evidence.

Section 26-10A-37Rules of procedure and rules of evidence. The Rules of Civil Procedure and the Rules of Evidence apply to the probate court in adoption proceedings to the extent they apply under Section 12-13-12. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p, 912, §37.)
AL Code § 26-10A-38 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10A - Alabama Adoption Code.|Section 26-10A-38 - Application to Existing Adoptions.

Section 26-10A-38Application to existing adoptions. Final orders of adoptions entered prior to January 1, 1991, remain in effect on January 1, 1991, even though the statute under which the adoption was made may be repealed or modified by this chapter. Those adoptions continue in effect as they existed prior to this chapter except that proceedings after final orders of adoption previously entered will be governed under this chapter. (Acts 1990, No. 90-554, p. 912, §39.)
AL Code § 26-10B-1 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10B - Interstate Adoption Assistance Compacts.|Section 26-10B-1 - Legislative Findings.

Section 26-10B-1Legislative findings. The Legislature finds that: (1) Finding adoptive families for children, for whom adoption assistance is desirable, and assuring the protection of the interests of the children affected during the entire assistance period requires special measures when the adoptive parents move to other states or are residents of another state; and (2) The provision of medical and other necessary services for children, with state assistance, encounters special difficulties when the provision of services takes place in other states. (Acts 1991, No. 91-662, p. 1267, §1.)
AL Code § 26-10B-2 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10B - Interstate Adoption Assistance Compacts.|Section 26-10B-2 - Purpose.

Section 26-10B-2Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to authorize the State Department of Human Resources to enter into interstate agreements with agencies of other states for the protection of children for whom adoption assistance is being provided by the State Department of Human Resources, and to provide procedures for interstate adoption assistance payments for children, including medical payments. (Acts 1991, No. 91-662, p. 1267, §2.)
AL Code § 26-10B-3 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 26 - Infants and Incompetents.|Chapter 10B - Interstate Adoption Assistance Compacts.|Section 26-10B-3 - Definitions.

Section 26-10B-3Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (1) STATE. A state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or a territory or possession of or administered by the United States. (2) ADOPTION ASSISTANCE STATE. The state that is signatory to an adoption assistance agreement in a particular case. (3) RESIDENCE STATE. The state of which the child is a resident by virtue of the residence of the adoptive parents. (Acts 1991, No. 91-662, p. 1267, §3.)