District of Columbia Relinquishment, Consent, Revocation laws
Relinquishment - Consent - Time to Revoke
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District of Columbia
Who Must Consent:
- Both parents, if living.
- The court-appointed guardian.
- A licensed child placing agency if parental rights have been terminated.
Consent of Adoptee:
When Parental Consent is Not Needed:
When a parent:
- Cannot be located.
- Has abandoned the child.
- Has failed to support the child for at least 6 months.
- Has relinquished all rights to an agency.
When Relinquishment Can Be Signed:
- No relinquishment of rights can be made within the first 72 hours after a child's birth.
- The parent must first undergo counseling.
How Relinquishment Must Be Signed:
Consent must be executed before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments, or a representative of a child-placing agency or the Mayor's office.
Time for Revocation:
Any voluntary relinquishment may be automatically revoked by a verified writing submitted to the agency within 10 calendar days.
Adapted from materials prepared by the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.
