The Vermont Statutes Online
The Vermont Statutes Online does not include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly. We expect them to be updated by November 1st.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 15A : Adoption Act
Chapter 003 : General Procedure for Adoption
Subchapter 003 : Petition for Adoption of Minor
(Cite as: 15A V.S.A. § 3-301)-
§ 3-301. Standing to petition to adopt
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, the only persons who have standing to petition to adopt a minor under this article are:
(1) a person with whom a minor has been placed for adoption or who has been selected as a prospective adoptive parent by a person authorized under this title to place the minor for adoption; or
(2) a person with whom a minor has not been placed for adoption or who has not been selected or rejected as a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to Article 2, Part 1 and Part 2 of this title, but who has had physical custody of the minor for at least six months immediately before seeking to file a petition for adoption and is allowed to file the petition by the court for good cause shown.
(b) The spouse of a petitioner shall consent to the petition unless judicially declared incompetent.
(c) A petition for adoption of a minor stepchild by a stepparent may be filed under Article 4 of this title and a petition for adoption of an emancipated minor may be filed under Article 5 of this title. (Added 1995, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
