{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-318","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 16-318","heading":"Expedited adoption eligibility.","body":"(a)\nIntended parents that use assisted reproductive technology to produce a child of their union may petition the court for an expedited adoption pursuant to this section under either of the following circumstances:\n(1)\nOne of the intended parents gave birth to the child; or\n(2)\nThe child was born through a gestational surrogacy process brought about by one or both of the intended parents, and the parentage of only one intended parent was established pursuant to § 16-909(e).\n\n(b)\n(1)\nEach intended parent seeking an adoption pursuant to this section shall join in a petition for expedited adoption.\n(2)\nThe petition for expedited adoption shall be made under oath or affirmation of the petitioners, and the title of the petition shall be: \"Ex parte in the matter of the petition of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for expedited adoption\".\n(3)\nThe petition shall contain:\n(A)\nThe name, sex, date, and place of birth of the prospective adoptee;\n(B)\nThe name, date of birth, and addresses of the petitioners;\n(C)\nThe relationship of the prospective adoptee to the petitioners;\n(D)\nA statement of how the prospective adoptee was conceived;\n(E)\nThe date that the prospective adoptee began residing with the petitioners;\n(F)\nAny change to the name of the prospective adoptee that may be desired by the petitioners;\n(G)\nAny change to how the prospective adoptee's birth certificate should identify the petitioners as parents of the prospective adoptee; and\n(H)\nLanguage indicating consent to the expedited adoption by the intended parent who gave birth to the prospective adoptee or had parentage established pursuant to § 16-909(e).\n(4)\nIn a proceeding under this section, the petitioners shall file, as exhibits to the petition for expedited adoption:\n(A)\nA certified copy of any document that evidences the petitioners' relationship, such as a marriage certificate or registered domestic partnership certificate, or intent to parent together, such as a consent to parent form pursuant to § 16-909(e)(1)(A);\n(B)\nA certified copy of the prospective adoptee's birth certificate; and\n(C)\nA sworn statement by the petitioners that a written agreement pursuant to § 16-909.01(a)(1) has not been executed.\n\n(c)\nThe court shall not require an investigation, report, and recommendation pursuant to § 16-307 or criminal records check pursuant to § 4-1305.02 prior to the issuance of a final decree of adoption under this section.\n\n(d)\n(1)\nThe court shall issue a final decree of adoption under this section if it appears from the face of the pleadings that:\n(A)\nThe intended parents used assisted reproductive technology to produce a child of their union; and\n(B)\nNo other person has a claim to parentage of the prospective adoptee.\n(2)\nUpon issuance of a final decree of adoption, the court shall provide 4 certified copies of the final decree of adoption to the petitioners at no additional cost.\n\n(e)\nFor the purposes of this section, the term:\n(1)\n\"Assisted reproductive technology\" means any noncoital method of conception used with donor or nondonor eggs or sperm, including in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian transfer, and zygote intrafallopian transfer.\n(2)\n\"Intended parents\" means:\n(A)\nA married couple;\n(B)\nDomestic partners registered in the District pursuant to § 32-702(a) or recognized by the District pursuant to § 32-702(i);\n(C)\nIndividuals who maintain a committed relationship, as that term is defined in § 32-701(1); or\n(D)\nIndividuals who signed a consent to parent form pursuant to § 16-909(e)(1).","path":["Title 16. Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]","Chapter 3. Adoption."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-318","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"55b6863c4a28e52c4ac0e21f2d8b8f027edcf3a05b85a9762ebcac9cc2eb8e30","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-317","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-401"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}