(a) A petition for adoption may be filed in the probate court in any of the following counties:

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Terms Used In Alabama Code 26-10E-4

  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(1) The county in which the adoptee is born, resides, or has a legal domicile.
(2) The county in which a petitioner resides or is in military service.
(3) The county in which an office of any agency or institution operating under the laws of this state having guardianship or custody of an adoptee is located.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a petition for adoption may be filed in the probate court in another county if any of the following apply:

(1) The petitioner shows good cause on the record as to why the probate court selected should exercise venue over the adoption case.
(2) No party objects to the probate court selected within 30 days of service of the petition.
(3) The probate court selected determines in writing that it is in the best interests of the adoptee for the probate court to exercise venue over the adoption case.
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