<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>63566</law_id><section_number>63.2-1230</section_number><catch_line>Placement of children by parent or guardian</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-266</reference><reference>20-166</reference><reference>63.2-1207</reference><reference>63.2-1209</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="3">Parental Placement Adoptions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span>, legal guardian, or adoptive parent of a <span class="dictionary">child</span> may place his <span class="dictionary">child</span> for adoption directly with the prospective adoptive parents of his choice. Such parent or legal guardian may execute a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> to the prospective adoptive parent for discharge of a newborn infant from a hospital or for the initial physical placement of a <span class="dictionary">child</span> with a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Power of attorney to delegate parental or legal custodial powers" href="/20-166/">20-166</a> and subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Authority to consent to surgical and medical treatment of certain minors" href="/54.1-2969/">54.1-2969</a>. Consent to the proposed adoption shall be executed upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter before a juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> or, if the <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> or legal guardian does not reside in Virginia, before a <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over <span class="dictionary">child</span> <span class="dictionary">custody</span> matters in the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> where the <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> or legal guardian resides when requested by a juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> of this Commonwealth, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Cooperation between courts; preservation of records" href="/20-146.11/">20-146.11</a>. Consent proceedings shall be advanced on the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">docket</span> so as to be heard by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> within 10 days of filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, or as soon thereafter as practicable so as to provide the earliest possible <span class="dictionary">disposition</span>.</p></section></text><history>1989, c. 647, &#xA7; 63.1-220.3; 1991, cc. 364, 602; 1992, c. 125; 1993, cc. 338, 553; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 1999, c. 1028; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.37; 2001, c. 305; 2002, c. 747; 2009, c. 805; 2024, c. 90.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
