{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/63.2-1238.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/63.2-1238.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/63.2-1238.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/63.2-1238.html"}],"law_id":63654,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63654,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1238","catch_line":"Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 63-349; 1954, c. 489; 1956, c. 489; 1956, c. 187; 1962, c. 603; 1964, c. 429; 1968, cc. 346, 578, \u00a7 63.1-223; 1974, cc. 26, 493, 507; 1975, c. 364; 1978, c. 730; 1980, c. 740; 1982, c. 115; 1988, cc. 579, 599, 882; 1989, c. 647; 1992, c. 607; 1993, c. 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7 63.1-219.45; 2002, c. 747.","full_text":"A\n\nUpon the filing of the petition, the circuit court shall forward a copy of the petition and all exhibits thereto to the Commissioner and to the local director where the petitioners reside or resided at the time of filing the petition, or had legal residence at the time of the filing of the petition. However, in cases where a licensed child-placing agency has completed a home study, the petition and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the licensed child-placing agency.B\n\nIn parental placement adoptions where consent has been properly executed, no investigation and report pursuant to § 63.2-1208 is required. However, the circuit court may order a thorough investigation of the matter and report in which case the provisions of § 63.2-1208 shall apply.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":231886,"text":"Upon the filing of the petition, the circuit court shall forward a copy of the petition and all exhibits thereto to the Commissioner and to the local director where the petitioners reside or resided at the time of filing the petition, or had legal residence at the time of the filing of the petition. However, in cases where a licensed child-placing agency has completed a home study, the petition and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the licensed child-placing agency.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":231887,"text":"In parental placement adoptions where consent has been properly executed, no investigation and report pursuant to § 63.2-1208 is required. However, the circuit court may order a thorough investigation of the matter and report in which case the provisions of § 63.2-1208 shall apply.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14097,"edition_id":1,"name":"Parental Placement Adoptions","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14096,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:52","permalink":{"id":271529,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14097,"identifier":"3","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/3\/","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":63566,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1230","catch_line":"Placement of children by parent or guardian","url":"\/63.2-1230\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1230","metadata":false},{"id":82655,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1231","catch_line":"Home study; meeting required; exception","url":"\/63.2-1231\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1231","metadata":false},{"id":75426,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1232","catch_line":"Requirements of a parental placement adoption; exception","url":"\/63.2-1232\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1232","metadata":false},{"id":69788,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1233","catch_line":"Consent to be executed in juvenile and domestic relations district court; exceptions","url":"\/63.2-1233\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1233","metadata":false},{"id":80402,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1234","catch_line":"When consent is revocable","url":"\/63.2-1234\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1234","metadata":false},{"id":55223,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1235","catch_line":"Adoptive home not in child's best interests","url":"\/63.2-1235\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1235","metadata":false},{"id":76454,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1236","catch_line":"Duty of Department to disseminate information","url":"\/63.2-1236\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1236","metadata":false},{"id":79340,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1237","catch_line":"Petition for parental placement adoption; jurisdiction; contents","url":"\/63.2-1237\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1237","metadata":false},{"id":63654,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1238","catch_line":"Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required","url":"\/63.2-1238\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1238","metadata":false},{"id":71186,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1239","catch_line":"Return of copies furnished to counsel","url":"\/63.2-1239\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1239","metadata":false},{"id":78297,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1240","catch_line":"Court issuing order deemed sending agency under Interstate Compact on Placement of Children","url":"\/63.2-1240\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1240","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":79340,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1237","catch_line":"Petition for parental placement adoption; jurisdiction; contents","url":"\/63.2-1237\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1237","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71186,"structure_id":14097,"section_number":"63.2-1239","catch_line":"Return of copies furnished to counsel","url":"\/63.2-1239\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1239","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1238\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 18 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1954, chapter 489; in 1956, chapter 489; in 1956, chapter 187; in 1962, chapter 603; in 1964, chapter 429; in 1968, chapters 346 and 578; in 1974, chapters 26, 493, and 507; in 1975, chapter 364; in 1978, chapter 730; in 1980, chapter 740; in 1982, chapter 115; in 1988, chapters 579, 599, and 882; in 1989, chapter 647; in 1992, chapter 607; in 1993, chapter 553; in 1995, chapters 772<\/a> and 826<\/a>; in 2000, chapter 830<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 747<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58081,"section_number":"63.2-1208","catch_line":"Investigations; report to circuit court","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1208\/"},{"id":75426,"section_number":"63.2-1232","catch_line":"Requirements of a parental placement adoption; exception","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1232\/"},{"id":65499,"section_number":"63.2-1248","catch_line":"Fees for home studies, investigations, visitations and reports","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1248\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":58081,"section_number":"63.2-1208","catch_line":"Investigations; report to circuit court","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1208\/"}],"permalink":{"id":271563,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63654,"identifier":"63.2-1238","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1238","url":"\/63.2-1238\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1238\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/3\/63.2-1238","dublin_core":{"Title":"Forwarding of petition; when investigation and report not required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1238","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Upon the filing of the petition<\/span>, the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> shall forward a copy of the petition<\/span> and all exhibits thereto to the Commissioner<\/span> and to the local director<\/span> where the petitioners reside or resided at the time of filing the petition<\/span>, or had legal residence at the time of the filing of the petition<\/span>. However, in cases where a licensed child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> has completed a home study, the petition<\/span> and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the licensed child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> In parental placement<\/span> adoptions where consent has been properly executed, no investigation and report pursuant to § 63.2-1208<\/a> is required. However, the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may order<\/span> a thorough investigation of the matter and report in which case the provisions of § 63.2-1208<\/a> shall apply. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFORWARDING OF PETITION; WHEN INVESTIGATION AND REPORT NOT REQUIRED (\u00a7\n63.2-1238)\n\nA. Upon the filing of the petition, the circuit court shall forward a copy of\nthe petition and all exhibits thereto to the Commissioner and to the local\ndirector where the petitioners reside or resided at the time of filing the\npetition, or had legal residence at the time of the filing of the petition.\nHowever, in cases where a licensed child-placing agency has completed a home\nstudy, the petition and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the licensed\nchild-placing agency.\n\nB. In parental placement adoptions where consent has been properly executed, no\ninvestigation and report pursuant to § 63.2-1208 is required. However, the\ncircuit court may order a thorough investigation of the matter and report in\nwhich case the provisions of § 63.2-1208 shall apply.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 63-349; 1954, c. 489; 1956, c. 489; 1956, c. 187; 1962,\nc. 603; 1964, c. 429; 1968, cc. 346, 578, \u00a7 63.1-223; 1974, cc. 26, 493, 507;\n1975, c. 364; 1978, c. 730; 1980, c. 740; 1982, c. 115; 1988, cc. 579, 599, 882;\n1989, c. 647; 1992, c. 607; 1993, c. 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, \u00a7\n63.1-219.45; 2002, c. 747.","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}}