{"data":{"id":"us-de/13-del.-c.-913","jurisdiction":"us-de","citation":"13 Del. C. § 913","heading":"Time for filing the adoption petition.","body":"(a) A petition for adoption may be filed when the requirements of § 904 of this title have been met, the child is legally free for adoption, and the adoptive placement of the child has been supervised for a period of 6 months by the Department or licensed agency.\n(b) In the case of a child to be adopted by a stepparent, guardian, permanent guardian or a blood relative, the petition for adoption shall be filed only after the child has resided in the home of the petitioner for at least 1 year; except that, on recommendation of the Department or licensed agency, a petition may be filed after 6 month’s continuous residence of the child in the petitioner’s home. In the case of adoption by a stepparent, guardian, permanent guardian or blood relative, it is not necessary that the child be legally free prior to the filing of the petition.","path":["Title 13. Domestic Relations","CHAPTER 9. Adoption","Subchapter I. Minors"],"source_url":"https://delcode.delaware.gov/title13/c009/sc01/index.html#913","current_through":"2026-08-10 (85 Del. Laws, c. 421, 424)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T23:02:17Z","sha256":"7b7e63fe7a4fee5557286d9edfeb8d3ae4b583eb395820af1ae8478268328f7d","source_id":"us-de","stale":true,"prev":"us-de/13-del.-c.-912--2","next":"us-de/13-del.-c.-914"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}