Adoption law is the generic area of

legal theory Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...

policy making Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...

legal practice Legal practice is sometimes used to distinguish the body of judicial or administrative precedents, rules, policies, customs, and doctrines from legislative enactments such as statutes and constitutions which might be called "laws" in the strict s ...

and

legal studies Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of Reason#Logical rea ...

relating to

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

National adoption laws

National, or domestic, adoption laws deal with issues such as

step-parent A stepfamily is a family where at least one parent has children that are not biologically related to their spouse. Either parent, or both, may have children from previous relationships or marriages. Two known classifications for stepfamilies i ...

adoption, adoption by cohabitees, adoption by single parents and

LGBT adoption Same-sex adoption is the adoption of children by Same-sex relationship, same-sex couples. It may take the form of a joint adoption by the couple, or of the adoption by one partner of the other's biological child (stepchild adoption). Joint ad ...

. Adoption laws in some countries may be affected by religious considerations such as adoption in Islam.

Specific laws

Laws vary widely from country to country and in the case of

adoption in the United States In the United States, adoption is the process of creating a legal parent-child relationship between a child and a parent who was not automatically recognized as the child's parent at birth. Most adoptions in the US are adoptions by a stepparent. ...

, from state to state

Intercountry adoption laws

Intercountry adoption laws vary widely.Cynthia R. Mabry, Lisa Kelly Adoption Law: Theory, Policy and Practice -- 2006 - Page 459 "Some prospective adoptive parents choose certain countries because the country's adoption laws are more favorable to foreign adopters. Other prospective parents choose a particular country because more infants are available immediately."

References

{{Adopt Family law