{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1220.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1220.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1220.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1220.4.html"}],"law_id":59619,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59619,"structure_id":15614,"section_number":"63.2-1220.4","catch_line":"Jurisdiction to approve post-adoption contact and communication agreements","history":"2010, c. 331.","full_text":"A\n\nUnless otherwise stated in the final order of adoption, the circuit court of the jurisdiction in which the final order of adoption was entered shall retain jurisdiction to modify or enforce the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into pursuant to this article.B\n\nA birth parent or parents or adoptive parent or parents who have executed a post-adoption contact and communication agreement as described in this article may file a petition with the circuit court of the jurisdiction in which the final order of adoption was entered:1\n\nTo modify the post-adoption contact and communication agreement; and2\n\nTo compel a birth or adoptive parent to comply with the post-adoption contact and communication agreement. The court may not award monetary damages as a result of the filing of a petition for modification of or compliance with the agreement. The court may modify the agreement at any time before or after the adoption if the court, after notice and opportunity to be heard by the birth parent or parents and the adoptive parent or parents, determines that the child’s best interest requires the modification of the agreement. Before the court modifies an agreement or hears a motion to compel compliance, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child’s best interest.C\n\nThe circuit court shall not grant a request to modify the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement unless the moving party establishes that there has been a change of circumstances and the agreement is no longer in the child’s best interest; provided, however, that no modification shall affect the irrevocability of the adoption.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":218365,"text":"Unless otherwise stated in the final order of adoption, the circuit court of the jurisdiction in which the final order of adoption was entered shall retain jurisdiction to modify or enforce the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into pursuant to this article.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":218366,"text":"A birth parent or parents or adoptive parent or parents who have executed a post-adoption contact and communication agreement as described in this article may file a petition with the circuit court of the jurisdiction in which the final order of adoption was entered:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":218367,"text":"To modify the post-adoption contact and communication agreement; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":218368,"text":"To compel a birth or adoptive parent to comply with the post-adoption contact and communication agreement. The court may not award monetary damages as a result of the filing of a petition for modification of or compliance with the agreement. The court may modify the agreement at any time before or after the adoption if the court, after notice and opportunity to be heard by the birth parent or parents and the adoptive parent or parents, determines that the child’s best interest requires the modification of the agreement. Before the court modifies an agreement or hears a motion to compel compliance, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child’s best interest.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"C"},"4":{"id":218369,"text":"The circuit court shall not grant a request to modify the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement unless the moving party establishes that there has been a change of circumstances and the agreement is no longer in the child’s best interest; provided, however, that no modification shall affect the irrevocability of the adoption.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B2"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15614,"edition_id":1,"name":"Post-Adoption Contact and Communication Agreements","identifier":"1.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14096,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:55","permalink":{"id":271473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15614,"identifier":"1.1","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14096,"edition_id":1,"name":"Adoption","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","permalink":{"id":271365,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14096,"identifier":"12","token":"63.2\/III\/12","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Social Services Programs","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12789,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":271331,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13897,"identifier":"III","token":"63.2\/III","url":"\/63.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12789,"edition_id":1,"name":"Welfare (Social Services)","identifier":"63.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":270661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12789,"identifier":"63.2","token":"63.2","url":"\/63.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":65888,"structure_id":15614,"section_number":"63.2-1220.2","catch_line":"Authority to enter into post-adoption contact and communication agreements","url":"\/63.2-1220.2\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.2","metadata":false},{"id":80979,"structure_id":15614,"section_number":"63.2-1220.3","catch_line":"Approval of post-adoption contact and communication agreements","url":"\/63.2-1220.3\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.3","metadata":false},{"id":59619,"structure_id":15614,"section_number":"63.2-1220.4","catch_line":"Jurisdiction to approve post-adoption contact and communication agreements","url":"\/63.2-1220.4\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80979,"structure_id":15614,"section_number":"63.2-1220.3","catch_line":"Approval of post-adoption contact and communication agreements","url":"\/63.2-1220.3\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.3","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1220.4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2010. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 331<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":271483,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59619,"identifier":"63.2-1220.4","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.4","url":"\/63.2-1220.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1220.4\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/1.1\/63.2-1220.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Jurisdiction to approve post-adoption contact and communication agreements","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1220.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Unless otherwise stated in the final order<\/span> of adoption, the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the jurisdiction<\/span> in which the final order<\/span> of adoption was entered shall retain jurisdiction<\/span> to modify or enforce the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into pursuant to this article. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A birth parent<\/span> or parents or adoptive parent or parents who have executed a post-adoption contact and communication agreement as described in this article may file a petition<\/span> with the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the jurisdiction<\/span> in which the final order<\/span> of adoption was entered: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To modify the post-adoption contact and communication agreement; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To compel a birth or adoptive parent to comply with the post-adoption contact and communication agreement. The court<\/span> may not award monetary damages<\/span> as a result of the filing of a petition<\/span> for modification of or compliance with the agreement. The court<\/span> may modify the agreement at any time before or after the adoption if the court<\/span>, after notice and opportunity to be heard by the birth parent<\/span> or parents and the adoptive parent or parents, determines that the child<\/span>’s best interest requires the modification of the agreement. Before the court<\/span> modifies an agreement or hears a motion<\/span> to compel compliance, the court<\/span> may appoint a guardian ad litem<\/span> to represent the child<\/span>’s best interest. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The circuit<\/span> court<\/span> shall not grant a request to modify the terms of a post-adoption contact and communication agreement unless the moving party<\/span> establishes that there has been a change of circumstances and the agreement is no longer in the child<\/span>’s best interest; provided, however, that no modification shall affect the irrevocability of the adoption. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nJURISDICTION TO APPROVE POST-ADOPTION CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION AGREEMENTS (\u00a7\n63.2-1220.4)\n\nA. Unless otherwise stated in the final order of adoption, the circuit court of\nthe jurisdiction in which the final order of adoption was entered shall retain\njurisdiction to modify or enforce the terms of a post-adoption contact and\ncommunication agreement entered into pursuant to this article.\n\nB. A birth parent or parents or adoptive parent or parents who have executed a\npost-adoption contact and communication agreement as described in this article\nmay file a petition with the circuit court of the jurisdiction in which the\nfinal order of adoption was entered:\n\n 1. To modify the post-adoption contact and communication agreement; and\n\n 2. To compel a birth or adoptive parent to comply with the post-adoption\n contact and communication agreement. The court may not award monetary damages\n as a result of the filing of a petition for modification of or compliance with\n the agreement. The court may modify the agreement at any time before or after\n the adoption if the court, after notice and opportunity to be heard by the\n birth parent or parents and the adoptive parent or parents, determines that\n the child’s best interest requires the modification of the agreement.\n Before the court modifies an agreement or hears a motion to compel compliance,\n the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child’s best\n interest.\n\nC. The circuit court shall not grant a request to modify the terms of a\npost-adoption contact and communication agreement unless the moving party\nestablishes that there has been a change of circumstances and the agreement is\nno longer in the child’s best interest; provided, however, that no\nmodification shall affect the irrevocability of the adoption.\n\nHISTORY: 2010, c. 331.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}