Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/273

 68 S T A T. ]

PUBLIC LAW 392-JUNE 8, 1954 STATEMENT OF POLICY

1. The Congress of the United States hereby declares its conviction that the policies and procedures for adoption contained in this Act are socially necessary and desirable in the District of Columbia, having as their purpose the threefold protection of (1) the adoptive child, from unnecessary separation from his natural parents and from adoption by persons unfit to have such responsibility; (2) the natural parents, from hurried and abrupt decisions to give up the child; and (3) the adopting parents, by providing them information about the child and his background, and protecting them from subsequent disturbance of their relationships with the child by natural parents. SECTION

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 2. When used in this Act, the term— (1) "Commissioners" means the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, or their designated agents; (2) "District" means the District of Columbia; (3) "licensed child-placing agency" means a child-placing agency licensed under the laws of the District of Columbia; and (4) "adoptee" means a person with respect to whose adoption a petition has been filed under this Act or with respect to whom an interlocutory or final decree of adoption is in effect. JURISDICTION

SEC. 3. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), jurisdiction is hereby conferred upon the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to hear and determine petitions and decrees of adoption of any adult or child with authority to make such rules, not inconsistent with this Act, as shall bring fully before the court for consideration the interests of the adoptee, the natural parents, the petitioner, and any other properly interested party. (b) Jurisdiction is conferred if any of the following circumstances exist: (1) If petitioner is a legal resident of the District. (2) If petitioner has actually resided in the District for at least one year next preceding the filing of the petition. (3) If the child to be adopted is in the legal care, custody, or control of the Commissioners or a licensed child-placing agency. W H O M A Y ADOPT

SEC. 4. Any person may petition the court for a decree of adoption. No petition shall be considered by the court unless petitioner's spouse, if he has one, joins in the petition, except that if either the husband or wife is a natural parent of the adoptee, such natural parent need not join in the petition with the adopting parent, but need only give his or her consent to the adoption. If the marital status of the petitioner changes after the time of filing the petition and before the time the decree of adoption is final, the petition shall be amended accordingly. WHO

MAY

BE

ADOPTED

SEC. 5. Any person, whether a minor or an adult, may be adopted. CONSENT

SEC. 6. (a) No petition for adoption shall be granted by the court unless there is filed with the petition a written statement of consent,

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