MASSACHUSETTS ADOPTION ATTORNEYS

REPRESENTING CLIENTS WITH ADOPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

An adoption in Massachusetts is governed by Massachusetts adoption law. Adoption is a legal process whereby a parent child relationship is formed between an adult who is not the biological parent and a child. Generally in an adoption, the biological parent gives up all parental rights and obligations to the child. A family in Massachusetts, that is deciding to adopt a child has a number of options today. Our Massachusetts adoption attorneys can help you with a closed adoption (the biological parents remain anonymous) or an open adoption (where the biological parents and the adopting parents know one another), agency adoption, step parent adoption, guardianships, etc. We look forward to helping you add a new member to your family. If you wish to consult a SRIS, P.C. Massachusetts adoption attorney, please simply contact us via e-mail, phone, or by filling out our on-line form.  A Massachusetts adoption lawyer at SRIS, P.C. will gladly consult with you regarding your matter .

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE:
101 Federal Street, Suite 1900
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Phone: 888-437-7747

To obtain a general overview of adoption laws, please click here.

To learn more about the laws pertaining to adoption laws in Virginia or Maryland, please click on the state.

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN AND CHANGE OF NAMES

The following are some of the adoption laws in Massachusetts. Feel free to click on any one of them to learn more about them.

• Nature of adoption; exercise of court powers
• Decree of adoption; entry; conditions precedent
• Adoption decrees; mandatory language

Section 1. Nature of adoption; district or juvenile court (top)

A person of full age may petition the probate court in the county where he resides for leave to adopt as his child another person younger than himself, unless such other person is his or her wife or husband, or brother, sister, uncle or aunt, of the whole or half blood. A minor may likewise petition, or join in the petition of his or her wife or husband, for the adoption of a natural child of one of the parties. If the petitioner has a husband or wife living, competent to join in the petition, such husband or wife shall join therein, and upon adoption the child shall in law be the child of both; provided, however, that the prayer of the petition may be granted although the spouse of the petitioner is not a party to the petition if the court finds: (i) the failure of the spouse to join in the petition or to consent to the adoption is excused by reason of prolonged unexplained absence, legal separation, incapacity or circumstances constituting an unreasonable withholding of consent; (ii) the husband and wife are not in the process of an ongoing divorce; and (iii) the granting of the petition is in the best interests of the child. If a person not an inhabitant of this commonwealth desires to adopt a child residing here, the petition may be made to the probate court in the county where the child resides.
The district or juvenile court may, if it appears necessary or convenient, exercise the powers authorized by this chapter, but only in respect to a pending proceeding before such district or juvenile court.

Section 2A. Decree of adoption; entry; conditions precedent (top)

No decree of adoption shall be entered for the adoption of a child below the age of fourteen until one of the following conditions has been met:—
(A) The child sought to be adopted has been placed with the petitioners for adoption by the department of social services or by an agency authorized by said department for such purpose, or
(B) The petitioner is a blood relative of the child sought to be adopted, or
(C) The petitioner is a step-parent of the child sought to be adopted, or
(D) The petitioner was nominated in the will of a deceased natural parent of the child as a guardian or an adoptive parent, or
(E) The petition for adoption has been approved in writing by the department of social services or by an agency authorized by said department. Any petitioner aggrieved by the refusal of the department or of an agency to approve such petition after being requested to do so, may appeal such refusal to the probate court in which the petition for adoption is pending, which court shall make final determination as to the allowance or dismissal of the petition.

Section 2B. Adoption decrees; mandatory language (top)

Every decree of adoption entered by the court shall include the words “This adoption is final and irrevocable.”

To contact one of our adoptions attorneys in Massachusetts, please call us at 888-437-7747, e-mail or by filling out our on-line form.

Our Massachusetts adoption attorneys and staff speak the following languages in addition to English: Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Cantonese, Mandarin & Malaysian.