Sec. 8. (a) If:

(1) an adoption of a child who is the subject of the paternity action is pending; and

Terms Used In Indiana Code 31-14-21-8

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(2) the prospective adoptive parents file a motion to intervene;

the court having jurisdiction over the paternity action under this article shall allow the prospective adoptive parents to intervene in the paternity action under Rule 24 of the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure.

     (b) The prospective adoptive parents may intervene under this section solely for purposes of:

(1) receiving notice of the paternity proceedings; and

(2) attempting to ensure that the putative father’s paternity is not established unless the putative father is the child’s biological father.

     (c) A prospective adoptive parent may object to any error that occurs during the paternity proceedings.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-6.1-2(f).]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.6.