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PUBLIC LAW 393-JUNE 8, 1954

[68 S T A T.

the names of the adopters and shall then cause to be sealed and filed the original birth certificate with the certified copy of the final decree of adoption, and such sealed package shall be opened only by order of a court of competent jurisdiction. (c) If the birth of the adoptee occurred outside the District the clerk of the court shall, upon petition by the adoptor, furnish him with a certified copy of the final decree of adoption. (d) When an adoption in the District occurred prior to August 25, 1937, the court shall, upon presentation of a motion by a party to the proceedings, order the clerk of the court to seal the records in such proceeding and upon presentation of a certified copy of said order the Commissioners shall cause to be made a new record of the birth in the new name and with the names of the adoptors and shall then cause to be sealed and filed the original birth certificate with the order of the court, and such sealed package shall be opened only by order of the court. MEANING OF THE TERM " C H I L D "

SEC, 17. The term "child" or its equivalent in a deed, grant, will, or other written instrument shall, in the District, be held to include any adopted person, unless the contrary plainly appears by the terms thereof, whether or not such instrument was executed before or after the entry of the interlocutory decree of adoption, if any, or before or after the final decree of adoption became effective. REPEAL AND SAVINGS PROVISIONS

50 Stat. 806.

SEC. 18. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Act entitled "An Act to regulate proceedings in adoption in the District of Columbia", approved August 25, 1937, as amended (16 D. C. Code, ch. 2), is repealed. (b) The provisions of this Act shall have no retroactive effect except to the extent that they specifically so provide and shall not be construed as affecting in any way the rights and relations obtained by any decree of adoption entered prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, and all proceedings instituted and pending on the date of the enactment of this Act shall be carried to their final determination in accordance with the Act repealed by the preceding subsection, and all orders and decrees entered therein shall remain valid and binding on all parties thereby affected. (c) If any provisions of this Act, or the applicability thereof to any person or set of circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the applicability thereof to other persons and sets of circumstances shall not thereby be affected. Approved June 8, 1954. Public Law 393

June 8. 1954 [H. R. 7062]

CHAPTER 273

^N ACT To amend the Act of April 22, 1944, which regulates the placement of children in family homes in the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of iiy homes. "' "* " the Act entitled "An Act to regulate the placing of children in family homes, and for other purposes", approved April 22, 1-944 (32 D. C. 58 Stat. 193. Code, scc. 783), is amended to read as follows:

D. C. c h i l d placement in fani'

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