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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85724</law_id><section_number>63.2-1242</section_number><catch_line>Investigation and report at discretion of circuit court</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="4">Stepparent and Confirmatory Adoption</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>For adoptions under this article, an investigation and report shall be undertaken only if the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> in its discretion determines that there should be an investigation before a <span class="dictionary">final order</span> of adoption is entered. If the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> makes such a determination, it shall refer the matter to the <span class="dictionary">local director</span> for an investigation and report to be completed within such time as the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> designates. If an investigation is ordered, the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <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">local director</span> and the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Investigations; report to circuit court" href="/63.2-1208/">63.2-1208</a> shall apply.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 63-356.1; 1950, p. 626; 1956, c. 300; 1968, c. 578, &#xA7; 63.1-231; 1974, c. 421; 1975, c. 364; 1977, c. 526; 1979, c. 339; 1986, cc. 481, 482; 1987, c. 482; 1992, c. 607; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.49; 2002, c. 747; 2018, c. 9.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
