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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73962</law_id><section_number>63.2-1228</section_number><catch_line>Forwarding of petition</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1208</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">Adoption</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Agency Adoptions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Upon the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall, upon being satisfied as to proper <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and <span class="dictionary">venue</span>, immediately enter an <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> or an order referring the case to a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span> to conduct an investigation and prepare a report pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Investigations; report to circuit court" href="/63.2-1208/">63.2-1208</a>. Upon entry of the <span class="dictionary">interlocutory order</span> or the order of reference, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall forward a copy of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and all exhibits thereto to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> and to the agency that placed the <span class="dictionary">child</span>. In cases where the <span class="dictionary">child</span> was placed by an agency in another state, or by an agency, <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or other entity in another country, the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the <span class="dictionary">local director</span> or licensed <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">child</span>-placing agency</span>, whichever agency completed the home study or provided supervision. If no Virginia agency provided such services, or such agency is no longer licensed or has gone out of business, the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and all exhibits shall be forwarded to the <span class="dictionary">local director</span> of the locality where the petitioners reside or resided at the time of filing the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> or had legal residence at the time of the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 63-349; 1954, c. 489; 1956, c. 489; 1956, c. 187; 1962, c. 603; 1964, c. 429; 1968, cc. 346, 578, &#xA7; 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, &#xA7; 63.1-219.35; 2002, c. 747; 2006, cc. 825, 848; 2022, c. 377.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
