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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80402</law_id><section_number>63.2-1234</section_number><catch_line>When consent is revocable</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1206</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>Consent shall be revocable as follows:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> By either consenting <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> for any reason for up to seven days from its execution; however, such seven-day <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> period may be waived in writing at the time of consent provided that the <span class="dictionary">child</span> is at least 10 days old and the consenting <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> acknowledges having received independent legal <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> regarding the effect of such <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>. In the case of two consenting <span class="dictionary">birth parents</span>, the <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> by one consenting <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> shall not affect the right of the second consenting <span class="dictionary">birth parent</span> to retain his seven-day <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> period.
			a. Such <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> shall be in writing, signed by the revoking <span class="dictionary">party</span> or <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> of record for the revoking <span class="dictionary">party</span> and shall be filed with the clerk of the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> in which the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> was filed during the business day of the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span>, within the time period specified in this section. If the <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or any day on which the clerk&#x2019;s office is closed as authorized by <span class="dictionary">statute</span>, the <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> period shall be extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or other day on which the clerk&#x2019;s office is closed as authorized by <span class="dictionary">statute</span>.
			b. Upon the filing of a valid <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> within the time period set out in this section, the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> that any consent given for the purpose of such placement is void and, if necessary, the juvenile and domestic relations district <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall determine <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the <span class="dictionary">child</span> as between the <span class="dictionary">birth parents</span>. <a id="paragraph-288004" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1234/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> By any <span class="dictionary">party</span> prior to the <span class="dictionary">final order</span> of adoption (i) upon proof of <span class="dictionary">fraud</span> or duress or (ii) after placement of the <span class="dictionary">child</span> in an <span class="dictionary">adoptive home</span>, upon written, mutual consent of the <span class="dictionary">birth parents</span> and prospective adoptive parents. <a id="paragraph-288005" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1234/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></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; 63.1-219.41; 2002, c. 747; 2006, cc. 825, 848; 2008, c. 662.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
