§ 48-1-100. Legislative findings and intent; construction of Chapter.
Chapter48.
Adoptions.
Article 1.
General Provisions.
§ 48‑1‑100. Legislative findings and intent; construction of Chapter.
(a) The GeneralAssembly finds that it is in the public interest to establish a clear judicialprocess for adoptions, to promote the integrity and finality of adoptions, toencourage prompt, conclusive disposition of adoption proceedings, and tostructure services to adopted children, biological parents, and adoptiveparents that will provide for the needs and protect the interests of allparties to an adoption, particularly adopted minors.
(b) With special regardfor the adoption of minors, the General Assembly declares as a matter oflegislative policy that:
(1) The primary purposeof this Chapter is to advance the welfare of minors by (i) protecting minorsfrom unnecessary separation from their original parents, (ii) facilitating theadoption of minors in need of adoptive placement by persons who can give themlove, care, security, and support, (iii) protecting minors from placement withadoptive parents unfit to have responsibility for their care and rearing, and(iv) assuring the finality of the adoption; and
(2) Secondary purposesof this Chapter are (i) to protect biological parents from ill‑adviseddecisions to relinquish a child or consent to the child's adoption, (ii) toprotect adoptive parents from assuming responsibility for a child about whoseheredity or mental or physical condition they know nothing, (iii) to protectthe privacy of the parties to the adoption, and (iv) to discourage unlawfultrafficking in minors and other unlawful placement activities.
(c) In construing thisChapter, the needs, interests, and rights of minor adoptees are primary. Anyconflict between the interests of a minor adoptee and those of an adult shallbe resolved in favor of the minor.
(d) This Chapter shallbe liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes andpolicies. (1949, c. 300; 1983, c. 454, ss. 1, 6; 1995, c. 457,s. 2.)