{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-199.500","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 199.500","heading":"Consent to adoption.","body":"(1) An  adoption shall not be granted without the voluntary and informed consent,\nas defined in KRS  199.011, of the living parent or parents of a child born in\nlawful wedlock or the mother of the child born out of wedlock, or the father of\nthe child born out of wedlock if paternity is established in a legal action or if an\naffidavit is filed stating that the affiant is the father of the child, except that the\nconsent of the living parent or parents shall not be required if:\n(a) The  parent or parents have been adjudged mentally disabled and the\njudgment shall have been in effect for not less than one (1) year prior to\nthe filing of the petition for adoption;\n(b) The  parental rights of the parents have been terminated under KRS\nChapter 625;\n(c) The living parents are divorced and the parental rights of one (1) parent\nhave  been terminated under KRS  Chapter 625 and consent has been\ngiven by the parent having custody and control of the child; or\n(d) The  biological parent has not established parental rights as required by\nKRS  625.065.\n(2) A  minor parent who is a party defendant may consent to an adoption but a\nguardian ad litem for the parent shall be appointed.\n(3) In the case of a child twelve (12) years of age or older, the consent of the child\nshall be given in court. The court in its discretion may waive this requirement.\n(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, an adoption\nmay  be granted without the consent of the biological living parents of a child if it\nis pleaded and proved as a part of the adoption proceedings that any of the\nprovisions of KRS 625.090 exist with respect to the child.\n(5) An adoption shall not be granted or a consent for adoption be held valid if the\nconsent for adoption is given prior to seventy-two (72) hours after the birth of\nthe child. A voluntary and informed consent may be taken at seventy-two (72)\nhours after the birth of the child and shall become  final and irrevocable\nseventy-two (72) hours after it is signed.","path":["KRS Chapter 199"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48523","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:54Z","sha256":"612698ad072ab7640a7504fa4e7a9d569fae6588c698f62d11d7a2bae0c52016","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-199.493","next":"us-ky/krs-199.502"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}