In Pennsylvania, adoption is a legal process that terminates an existing parent-child relationship and creates a new one. Once finalized, the child is issued a new birth certificate, while the original records are sealed. However, adoptees may access medical and social information about their biological parents. The process involves strict procedural and substantive requirements to protect biological parents’ rights and prevent unethical practices like the sale of children. While expenses related to pregnancy may be covered, direct payment for the child is strictly prohibited. Adoptions can be facilitated by public or private agencies or arranged privately.

Legal Implications of Adoption Termination of Parental Rights Before an adoption can proceed, the biological parents’ legal rights must be terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary Termination: Parental rights cannot be terminated solely due to circumstances beyond the parent’s control, such as financial hardship, inadequate housing, or medical care. Process for Termination of Parental Rights […]