Chapter 259 — General Requirements

259.01 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.02 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.03 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.04 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.05 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.06 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.07 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.08 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.09 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or renumbered. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter … 259.10 General Requirements Sets out the basic procedure for legally changing your name in Minnesota, including the six-month residency requirement, … 259.11 Order; Filing Copies Requires the court to grant a name change unless there is intent to defraud, a felony conviction bars the change, or the … 259.115 Criminal Penalties Makes it a gross misdemeanor for a person with a felony conviction to use a different name after marriage, divorce, or … 259.12 Correctional Inmates; Name Changes; Limited Limits name changes for inmates in correctional facilities to one request during confinement and restricts in forma … 259.13 Persons With Felony Conviction; Name Changes Requires anyone with a felony conviction to serve notice on the prosecuting authority before changing their name, and … 259.14 Postdissolution Name Change Provides a simplified, no-fee procedure for changing your name back to your birth certificate name after a divorce, … 259.20 Policy Declares Minnesota's policy that adoption laws must serve the best interests of adopted persons and recognize the … 259.201 Compliance With Federal Indian Child Welfare Act and Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act Requires that adoption proceedings involving an Indian child comply with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act and the … 259.21 Definitions Defines key terms used throughout Minnesota's adoption statutes, including child, parent, guardian, agency, petitioner, … 259.22 Petition Establishes who may petition to adopt in Minnesota, generally requiring one year of state residency, and specifies that … 259.23 Juvenile Court, Jurisdiction Establishes that adoption proceedings are heard in juvenile court in the county where the petitioner resides, and … 259.24 Consents Specifies whose consent is required for an adoption, when consent may be executed (no sooner than 72 hours after birth), … 259.241 Adult Adoption Allows any adult aged 18 or older to be adopted in Minnesota, requiring only the adult's own consent. Establishes that … 259.25 Agreement Conferring Authority to Place for Adoption Governs written agreements between parents and agencies that authorize the agency to place a child for adoption. … 259.253 This section has been renumbered to section 259.27. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.255 This section has been renumbered to section 259.29. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.2565 This section has been renumbered to section 259.33. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.257 This section has been renumbered to section 259.35. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.26 This section has been renumbered to section 259.49. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.261 This section has been renumbered to section 259.51. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.27 Notification of Death or Terminal Illness Requires adoption agencies to notify birth parents if an adopted child dies and to notify adoptive parents or adult … 259.28 This section has been renumbered to section 259.57. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.29 Protection of Best Interests in Adoptive Placements Requires that adoptive placements serve the child's best interests through individualized assessment, and establishes a … 259.30 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.31 Agency Placement Factors When an adoption agency places a child in a home, the agency must write down the reasons for that placement decision. … 259.32 This section has been renumbered to section 259.63. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.33 This section has been renumbered to section 259.65. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.35 Notice to Adoptive Parents Requires adoption agencies to give prospective adoptive parents written notice that they will assume all the rights and … 259.37 Agency; Fee Schedule; Disclosure; Civil Action Requires adoption agencies to provide a detailed fee schedule, timeline for payments, and a disclosure statement to … 259.39 Commissioner's Statement The commissioner must create a short, easy-to-read guide about the legal adoption process. This guide must be available … 259.40 This section has been renumbered to section 259.67. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.405 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.406 This section has been renumbered to section 259.69. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.41 Adoption Study Requires a completed adoption study, background study, and written report before a child can be placed in a prospective … 259.43 Birth Parent History; Commissioner's Form Requires birth parents or agencies to provide prospective adoptive parents with a complete social and medical history of … 259.431 This section has been renumbered to section 259.71. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.44 This section has been renumbered to section 259.73. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.45 State Audit of Adoption Agency; Civil Action If the commissioner or attorney general believes an adoption agency has broken rules about fees or money, they can ask a … 259.455 This section has been renumbered to section 259.77. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.46 This section has been renumbered to section 259.79. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.465 This section has been renumbered to section 259.81. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.47 Direct Adoptive Placement Governs direct adoptive placements where a birth parent places a child directly with adoptive parents rather than … 259.471 This section has been renumbered to section 259.85. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.48 This section has been renumbered to section 259.87. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.49 Notice, Hearing on Petition Lists who must receive notice of an adoption hearing, including parents whose names appear on the birth record, who have … 259.51 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.52 Fathers' Adoption Registry Establishes Minnesota's Fathers' Adoption Registry, which allows a man who believes he may be the father of a child to … 259.53 Petition; Investigations; Reports Requires a postplacement assessment and report within 90 days of an adoption petition being filed, evaluating how the … 259.55 Payment of Birth Parent Expenses; Penalty Limits what expenses adoptive parents may pay on behalf of birth parents to counseling, medical, legal, transportation, … 259.57 Hearing, Decree Governs the final adoption hearing and decree. The court must find that the adoption is in the best interests of the … 259.58 Communication or Contact Agreements Allows adoptive parents and birth relatives or foster parents to enter legally enforceable agreements for ongoing … 259.59 Effect of Adoption Establishes that upon adoption, the adopted person becomes the legal child of the adoptive parents with full rights and … 259.60 Intercountry Adoptions; Obtaining Amended Birth Record Provides that a foreign adoption completed by a Minnesota resident is valid in Minnesota if the child was granted an … 259.61 Hearings, Confidential Requires all adoption hearings to be held in closed court and makes adoption court files confidential, accessible only … 259.63 Appeals Provides that any order, judgment, or decree in an adoption proceeding may be appealed by any affected person, following … 259.65 Appointment of Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem Authorizes the court to appoint an attorney or guardian ad litem for the person being adopted in any adoption … 259.67 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.69 This section of the adoption law has been repealed or is reserved. A note explains that certain powers under this … 259.71 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.73 Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Adoption Expenses Allows individuals who adopt a child with special needs to apply for reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption expenses. 259.75 State Adoption Exchange Establishes a state adoption exchange maintained by the commissioner that contains photographs and descriptions of … 259.77 Family Recruitment Every adoption agency must make special efforts to find adoptive families from among the child's relatives. Agencies … 259.78 Grandparent Visitation Grandparent visitation rights with an adopted child are covered by a separate law, section 257C.08. This section directs … 259.79 Adoption Records Adoption records must include copies of all legal documents, medical and family history of the child and birth parents, … 259.81 Referral for Services When a parent contacts an adoption agency asking to place a child outside the home, the agency must help. If the agency … 259.83 Postadoption Services Requires adoption agencies to provide postadoption services including assistance with obtaining medical and social … 259.85 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be … 259.87 Rules The commissioner of children, youth, and families has the authority to create rules needed to carry out the laws about … 259.88 Data and Best Practices The commissioner must collect data from adoption agencies to measure how well post-adoption search services work. This … 259.89 This section of the adoption law has been repealed. A note explains that certain powers under this chapter may be …