Utah Relinquishment, Consent, Revocation laws
Utah
Who Must Consent:
- Both parents or surviving parent of child born in wedlock
- The mother.
- Any biological father who has established paternity.
- The child placing agency to which the child has been relinquished.
- A minor parent has the power to consent.
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Consent of Adoptee:
A child 12 years or older must consent to the adoption, unless he does not have the capacity to consent.
When Parental Consent is Not Needed:
- The parent's rights have been terminated by a court.
- The child was conceived as a result of any sexual offense.
When Relinquishment Can Be Signed:
Birth mother may not execute consent until at least 24 hours after child's birth.
How Relinquishment Must Be Signed:
Consent must be signed before a judge or authorized official of a child-placing agency so long as signature is notarized or witnessed by 2 witnesses who are not members of the birth mother's immediate family.
Time for Revocation:
- Consent is effective when signed and cannot be revoked.
- Case law suggests that consent may be revoked if induced by duress, undue influence, deception or other grounds that would justify release from a contract.
Adapted from materials prepared by the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse..gov">National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.
