P:\January 2005 Adoption Packet.doc CHECKLIST PETITION FOR ADOPTION BY UNMARRIED COUPLE ____ Review Procedure set forth on following page Documentation to be assembled in the following order: ____ Preliminary Decree ____ Final Decree ____ Important Notice – Birth Parent ____ Important Notice – Putative Father ____ Petition for Adoption by Unmarried Couple ____ Attorney Caption ____ Signed ____ Petitioner(s) is/are Adopting Parent(s) ____ Verified by Petitioner(s) ____ Consents ____ Affidavit from clinic/MD regarding sperm donor anonymity and release of parental rights – if applicable ____ Original Long Form Birth Certificate ____ Signed Certification of Attorneys Fees and Costs ____ Form H105 ____ Original Death Certificate – if parent is deceased ____ Out-of-County Decrees - certified ____ Foreign Documents – translated ____ Report of Intention to Adopt ____ Report of Intermediary ____ ____ Home Study Notice(s) Pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S.A. §2513(b) ____ at least ten (10) days notice by personal service, OR ____ Registered Mail, OR ____ By such means as the Court may require (See, Pa.R.C.P. 430) Proof(s) of Notice – to be filed at or before the hearing ____ NOTE: Adoptee must be present at the hearing American LegalNet, Inc. www.USCourtForms.com P:\January 2005 Adoption Packet.doc Procedure for Adoptions by Unmarried Couple The following procedure must be followed when prospective adoptive parents are unmarried. See, In re Adoption of R.B.F., 803 A.2d 1195 (Pa. 2002). Those procedures are: 1. A Report of Intention to Adopt must be filed. 2. The Petition for Adoption must specify the reason(s) why the parent of the adoptee is unable to comply with the obligation of surrendering his or her parental rights in the consent as required in §§2701(7) and 2711(d) of the Adoption Act. 3. Home Study to be completed. 4. After the Home Study is completed and the Petition for Adoption, Consents and other necessary attachments are filed, the Court will review the file and schedule a hearing. The intention is to schedule only one hearing on the adoption petition, at which time the reason(s) for inability to provide the statutory consent will be addressed immediately prior to the adoption hearing. If the Judge determines there is cause shown that justifies granting a decree of adoption, even though all legal requirements haven't been met (see §2901; In re Adoption of R.B.F., 803 A.2d at 1201-1202), then he/she will proceed with the adoption hearing. American LegalNet, Inc. www.USCourtForms.com