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California Code, Family Code - FAM § 9210

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), a court of this state has jurisdiction over a proceeding for the adoption of a minor commenced under this part if any of the following applies:

(1) Immediately before commencement of the proceeding, the minor lived in this state with a parent, a guardian, a prospective adoptive parent, or another person acting as parent, for at least six consecutive months, excluding periods of temporary absence, or, in the case of a minor under six months of age, lived in this state with any of those individuals from soon after birth and there is available in this state substantial evidence concerning the minor's present or future care.

(2) Immediately before commencement of the proceeding, the prospective adoptive parent lived in this state for at least six consecutive months, excluding periods of temporary absence, and there is available in this state substantial evidence concerning the minor's present or future care.

(3) The agency that placed the minor for adoption is located in this state and both of the following apply:

(A) The minor and the minor's parents, or the minor and the prospective adoptive parent, have a significant connection with this state.

(B) There is available in this state substantial evidence concerning the minor's present or future care.

(4) The minor and the prospective adoptive parent are physically present in this state and the minor has been abandoned or it is necessary in an emergency to protect the minor because the minor has been subjected to or threatened with mistreatment or abuse or is otherwise neglected.

(5) The minor was born in this state and either of the following apply:

(A) A proceeding to free the minor from the custody and control of one or both parents is not required to make the minor available for adoption.

(B) The proceeding to free the minor from the custody and control of one or both parents to make the minor available for adoption is being brought in this state.

(6) It appears that no other state would have jurisdiction under requirements substantially in accordance with paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, or another state has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this state is the more appropriate forum to hear a petition for adoption of the minor, and there is available in this state substantial evidence concerning the minor's present or future care.

(b) A court of this state may not exercise jurisdiction over a proceeding for adoption of a minor if at the time the petition for adoption is filed a proceeding concerning the custody or adoption of the minor is pending in a court of another state exercising jurisdiction substantially in conformity with this part, unless the proceeding is stayed by the court of the other state because this state is a more appropriate forum or for another reason.

(c) If a court of another state has issued a decree or order concerning the custody of a minor who may be the subject of a proceeding for adoption in this state, a court of this state may not exercise jurisdiction over a proceeding for adoption of the minor, unless both of the following apply:

(1) The requirements for modifying an order of a court of another state under this part are met, the court of another state does not have jurisdiction over a proceeding for adoption substantially in conformity with paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a), or the court of another state has declined to assume jurisdiction over a proceeding for adoption.

(2) The court of this state has jurisdiction under this section over the proceeding for adoption.

(d) For purposes of subdivisions (b) and (c), “a court of another state” includes, in the case of an Indian child, a tribal court having and exercising jurisdiction over a custody proceeding involving the Indian child.

(e) Nothing in this section shall limit jurisdiction that is otherwise permitted under Part 5 (commencing with Section 7900) of Division 12.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - California Code, Family Code - FAM § 9210 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/family-code/fam-sect-9210/

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