What is adult adoption?

Adoption is a legal process that establishes a parent-child relationship between two people. North Carolina residents may be familiar with child adoption cases, in which an adult or couple adopt a child from within the country or internationally to make the child theirs under the law. Stepparents can also engage in adoption proceedings under certain circumstances to make the children of their spouses their legal family members.

In North Carolina, though, adults can also be adopted. This post will explore adult adoption, what is required of the process, and what it achieves. Whatever form of adoption a reader is considering, they may wish to direct their adoption-related questions to a local lawyer for relevant legal information.

The parties in an adult adoption case

Like a child adoption case, an adult adoption case creates a parent-child relationship between two people. In North Carolina, an adult is considered a person who has reached the age of 18. When one adult seeks to adopt another, the adoptee must agree to the adoption in order for it to go through.

Are any adults barred from adopting each other?

There are few restrictions on adult adoptions. However, it is important to note that spouses cannot adopt each other. For example, a husband may not adopt his wife to create a parent-child relationship between the two.

Why do some individuals engage in adult adoption?

As stated, adult adoption creates a parent-child relationship between the parties under the law. The adoptee may then inherit from the petitioner and may seek other benefits that they would have been entitled to had they been born the petitioner’s biological child. The parent-child relationship establishes many rights in the child that can benefit them into the future.