New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:4 – Who May Adopt
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Any of the following adults may adopt:
I. Two adults together.
II. An unmarried adult.
III. The unmarried parent of the adoptee.
IV. A married adult without that person‘s spouse joining as a petitioner, if the adoptee is not the petitioner’s spouse; and if any one of the following circumstances apply:
(a) The petitioner’s spouse is a parent of the adoptee and assents to the adoption;
(b) The petitioner and the petitioner’s spouse are legally separated;
(c) The failure of the petitioner’s spouse to join in the petition is excused by the court by reason of prolonged unexplained absence, unavailability, or circumstances constituting an unreasonable withholding of assent; or
(d) The petitioner’s spouse assents to the adoption and the adoptee is over the age of 18.
V. An unmarried adult with the assent of at least one of the adoptee’s parents and with the intention to share parenting responsibilities with one of the adoptee’s parents.
VI. A person or persons who are parents of a child conceived via assisted reproduction as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 168-B:1, II for the purpose of confirming the legal relationship between child and parent.
I. Two adults together.
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:4
- Adult: means an individual who is not a minor. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
- Child: means a son or daughter, whether by birth or by adoption. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
- Court: means probate court. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of these laws, shall mean the section next preceding or following that in which such reference is made, unless some other is expressly designated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:13
- Parent: means mother, birth father, legal father, or adoptive parent, but such term shall not include a parent as to whom the parent-child relationship has been terminated by judicial decree or voluntarily surrender. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
- Person: means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-B:2
- petition: when used in connection with the equity jurisdiction of the superior court, and referring to a document filed with the court, shall mean complaint, and "petitioner" shall mean plaintiff. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:51
- petitioner: shall mean plaintiff. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:51
II. An unmarried adult.
III. The unmarried parent of the adoptee.
IV. A married adult without that person‘s spouse joining as a petitioner, if the adoptee is not the petitioner’s spouse; and if any one of the following circumstances apply:
(a) The petitioner’s spouse is a parent of the adoptee and assents to the adoption;
(b) The petitioner and the petitioner’s spouse are legally separated;
(c) The failure of the petitioner’s spouse to join in the petition is excused by the court by reason of prolonged unexplained absence, unavailability, or circumstances constituting an unreasonable withholding of assent; or
(d) The petitioner’s spouse assents to the adoption and the adoptee is over the age of 18.
V. An unmarried adult with the assent of at least one of the adoptee’s parents and with the intention to share parenting responsibilities with one of the adoptee’s parents.
VI. A person or persons who are parents of a child conceived via assisted reproduction as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 168-B:1, II for the purpose of confirming the legal relationship between child and parent.