Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/276

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PUBLIC LAW 392-JUNE 8, 1954

[68 S T A T.

Any written report submitted to the court shall be filed with, and become part of, the records in the case. INVESTIGATION IN CERTAIN CASES

SEC. 10. Whenever the adoptee is an adult or whenever the petitioner is a spouse of the natural parent of the adoptee, and the natural parent consents to the adoption or joins in the petition for adoption, the court may in its discretion dispense with the investigation, report, and interlocutory decree provided for in this Act. PROCEEDINGS

SEC. 11. (a) Within a period of ninety days, or such time as extended by the court, after a copy of the petition and the order providing for the report is served upon the agency directed to make the investigation, the agency shall make the report and recommendation required by section 8 to the court and thereupon the court shall proceed to act upon the petition. (b) No final decree of adoption shall be entered unless the adoptee shall have been living with the petitioner at least six months. After considering the petition, the consents, and such evidence as the parties and any other properly interested person may wish to present, the court may enter a final or interlocutory decree of adoption if it is satisfied— (1) that adoptee is physically, mentally, and otherwise suitable for adoption by the petitioner; (2) that the petitioner is fit and able to give the adoptee a proper home and education; and (3) that the adoption will be for the best interests of adoptee. If it shall appear in the interest of the adoptee, the court may enter an interlocutory decree of adoption, which decree shall by its terms automatically become a final decree of adoption on a day therein named, which day shall not be less than six months, nor more than one year, from the date of entry of such interlocutory decree unless in the interim such decree shall have been set aside for cause shown. The supervising agency shall be permitted to visit the adoptee during the period of the interlocutory decree. (c) The court may revoke its interlocutory decree for good cause shown at any time before it becomes a final decree, either on its own motion or on the motion of one of the parties to the adoption. Before such revocation, notice shall be given thereof to all those persons or parties who were given notice of the original petition for adoption, and an opportunity for all such interested persons or parties to be heard. (d) All proceedings with reference to adoption shall be of a confidential nature and shall be held in chambers in a sealed courtroom with as little publicity as the court deems appropriate. F I N A L I T Y o r DECREES OF ADOPTION

SEC. 12. No attempt to invalidate a final decree of adoption by reason of any jurisdictional or procedural defect shall be received by any court of the District, unless regularly filed with such court within one year following the time the final decree became effective.

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