Colorado Code § 19-5-203

Availability for adoption
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(1) A child may be available for adoption only
upon:
(a) Order of the court terminating the parent-child legal relationship in a proceeding
brought under article 3 or 5 of this title;
(b) Order of the court decreeing the voluntary relinquishment of the parent-child legal
relationship under section 19-5-103, 19-5-103.5, or 19-5-105;
(c) Written and verified consent of the guardian of the person, appointed by the court, of
a child whose parents are deceased;
(d) (I) Written and verified consent of the parent in a stepparent adoption where the
other parent is deceased or his parent-child legal relationship has been terminated under
paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection (1);
(II) Written and verified consent of the parent in a stepparent adoption, accompanied by
an affidavit or sworn testimony of such parent, that the other birth parent has abandoned the
child for a period of one year or more or that the other birth parent has failed without cause to
provide reasonable support for such child for a period of one year or more. Upon filing of the
petition in adoption, the court shall issue a notice directed to the other parent, which notice shall
state the nature of the relief sought, the names of the petitioner and the child, and the time and
place set for hearing on the petition. If the address of the other parent is known, service of such
notice shall be in the manner provided by the Colorado rules of civil procedure for service of
process. Upon affidavit by the petitioner that, after diligent search, the address of the other
parent remains unknown, the court shall order service upon the other parent by one publication
of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the hearing is to be
held. The hearing shall not be held sooner than thirty-five days after service of the notice is
complete, and, at such time, the court may enter a final decree of adoption notwithstanding the
time limitation in section 19-5-210 (2).
(d.5) (I) Written and verified consent in a second-parent adoption that the child has a
sole legal parent, and the sole legal parent wishes the child to be adopted by a specified second
adult.
(II) In a petition for a second-parent adoption, the court shall require a written home
study report prepared by a county department of human or social services, designated qualified
individual, or child placement agency and approved by the department pursuant to section 19-5-
207.5 (2). If the child of a sole legal parent was adopted by that parent less than one hundred
eighty-two days prior to the filing of an adoption petition by a second prospective parent and if
the second prospective parent was included in the home study report that was prepared pursuant
to section 19-5-207 for the adoption of the child by the first parent, then that home study report
is a valid home study report for the purpose of the second parent's adoption. If the filing of a
petition for adoption by the second prospective parent occurs one hundred eighty-two days or
more after the adoption by the first parent, a separate home study report is required pursuant to
section 19-5-207.
(e) Written and verified consent of the parent having only residual parental
responsibilities when custody or parental responsibilities have been awarded or allocated to the
other parent in a dissolution of marriage proceeding where the spouse of the parent having
custody or parental responsibilities wishes to adopt the child;
(f) Written and verified consent of the parent or parents, as defined in section 19-1-103,
in a stepparent adoption where the child's parents were not married at the time the child was
conceived and born;
(g) A statement by the department of human services or its designated agent as to
whether any placement arranged outside the state of Colorado was carried out by a child
placement agency licensed or authorized under the laws of another state to make placements;
(h) Verification by the child placement agency, a county department of human or social
services, or the attorney for the petitioner in any adoption proceeding that any custody obtained
outside the state of Colorado was acquired by:
(I) Proceedings to relinquish all parent-child legal relationships which complied with the
laws of the state where conducted or conformed substantially to the laws of this state; or
(II) Proceedings to terminate all parent-child legal relationships which complied with the
laws of the state where conducted or conformed substantially to the laws of this state; or
(III) Written and verified consent, under the conditions set forth in paragraphs (c) to (f)
of this subsection (1), which was executed in accord with the laws of the state where granted or
in substantial conformity with the laws of this state;
(i) Verification by the department of human services or its designated agent that any
custody obtained outside the state of Colorado was acquired by proceedings sanctioned by the
federal immigration and naturalization service, or any successor agency, in cooperation with the
department of human services whenever such cooperation is authorized or advised by federal
law;
(j) Submission of an affidavit or sworn testimony of the adoptive relative in a kinship
adoption that the birth parent or birth parents have abandoned the child for a period of one year
or more or that the birth parent or birth parents have failed without cause to provide reasonable
support for such child for a period of one year or more, and that the relative seeking the kinship
adoption has had physical custody of the child for a period of one year or more and the child is
not the subject of a pending dependency and neglect proceeding pursuant to article 3 of this title.
Upon filing of the petition in adoption, the court shall issue a notice directed to the birth parent
or birth parents, which notice shall state the nature of the relief sought, the names of the
petitioner and the child, and the time and place set for hearing on the petition. If the address of
the birth parent is known, service of such notice shall be in the manner provided by the Colorado
rules of civil procedure for service of process. Upon affidavit by the petitioner that describes
with specificity the diligent search made by the petitioner, and that states that, after diligent
search, the address of the birth parent or birth parents remains unknown, the court shall order
service upon the birth parent or birth parents by one publication of the notice in a newspaper of
general circulation in the county in which the hearing is to be held. The hearing shall not be held
sooner than thirty-five days after service of the notice is complete, and, at such hearing, the court
may enter a final decree of adoption notwithstanding the time limitation in section 19-5-210 (2).
(k) Submission of an affidavit or sworn testimony of the legal custodian or legal
guardian in a custodial adoption that the birth parent or birth parents have abandoned the child
for a period of one year or more or that the birth parent or birth parents have failed without cause
to provide reasonable support for such child for a period of one year or more and that the legal
custodian or legal guardian seeking the custodial adoption has had the child in his or her physical
custody for a period of one year or more. Upon filing of the petition in adoption, the court shall
issue a notice directed to the birth parent or birth parents, which notice shall state the nature of
the relief sought, the names of the petitioner and the child, and the time and place set for hearing
on the petition. If the address of the birth parent or birth parents is known, service of such notice
shall be in the manner provided by the Colorado rules of civil procedure for service of process.
Upon affidavit by the petitioner that describes with specificity the diligent search made by the
petitioner, and that states that, after diligent search, the address of the birth parent or birth
parents remains unknown, the court shall order service upon the birth parent or birth parents by
one publication of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the
hearing is to be held. The hearing shall not be held sooner than thirty-five days after service of
the notice is complete, and, at such hearing, the court may enter a final decree of adoption
notwithstanding the time limitation in section 19-5-210 (2).
(2) Written consent to any proposed adoption shall be obtained from the person to be
adopted if such person is twelve years of age or older.

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