American Samoa § 45.0420 - Petition for adoption.

§ 45.0420. Petition for adoption.

(a) The petition for adoption is filed not later than 30 days after the date on which the child is first placed in the home of the adoptive applicants for the purpose of adoption unless the Court finds that there was reasonable cause or excusable neglect for not filing the petition. The Court then fixes a date for the hearing. (b) Every petition for adoption of a child shall be verified by the petitioner, and shall be entitled substantially as follows: “In the matter of the petition of…. for the adoption of a child”. It contains: (1) the name, date and place of birth; race, and place of residence of each petitioner, including the unmarried name of the adopting mother, and the date of marriage, if any, of the petitioners; (2) the name, date and place of birth, and place of residence, if known by the petitioner, of the child to be adopted; (3) the relationship, if any, of the child to the petitioner; (4) the full name by which the child will be known after adoption; (5) the full description of the property, if any, of the child; (6) the names of the parents of the child, and the address of each living parent, if known to the petitioner; (7) the names and addresses of the guardian of the person and the guardian of the estate of the child, if any have been appointed; (8) the name of the agency or person to whom the custody of the child has been given by proper order of Court; (9) the length of time the child has been in the care and custody of the petitioner; (10) names of other children, both natural and adopted and both living and dead, of the adopting parents; and (11) the residence and occupation of each petitioner at or about the time of the birth of the child. (c) If the adoption placement is made by the Department of Health or a child placement agency, the information required under paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(6) is not included in the petition but is transmitted to the Court as part of the report required in 45.0414. (d) A statement of any fee charged relative to the adoption is submitted to the Court with the petition and states that no additional fees are charged. Research Guide: CRS 19-4-110, 17 ASC 652, 17 ASC 655.