Legal Definitions - adopted child

An adopted child is an individual who has legally become the child of parents other than their biological parents through a formal court process called adoption. Once an adoption is finalized, the adoptive parents assume all legal rights and responsibilities for the child, just as if the child had been born to them, and the biological parents' legal rights and duties are typically terminated.

• Example 1: After struggling with infertility for several years, Maria and David decide to adopt. They go through an agency and are matched with a newborn baby girl, whom they name Sophia. After the legal adoption process is complete, Sophia becomes their adopted child.

  Explanation: In this scenario, Sophia is an adopted child because Maria and David have legally become her parents through the adoption process. All parental rights and responsibilities for Sophia have transferred from her biological parents to Maria and David, making them her legal parents in every sense.

• Example 2: Sarah has been a foster parent to 12-year-old Ethan for five years. Ethan's biological parents' parental rights were terminated by the court due to neglect. Sarah decides to adopt Ethan, and Ethan, being old enough, expresses his strong desire to be adopted by Sarah to the court.

  Explanation: Ethan becomes Sarah's adopted child. The adoption legally formalizes their relationship, granting Sarah full parental rights and responsibilities for Ethan, including making decisions about his education, healthcare, and general welfare. The legal ties to his biological parents are completely severed.

• Example 3: When Robert marries Lisa, Lisa has a 7-year-old daughter named Chloe from a previous marriage. Chloe's biological father has not been involved in her life for many years. Robert decides to legally adopt Chloe to provide her with a stable, two-parent household and to formalize his role as her father.

  Explanation: Chloe becomes Robert's adopted child. Through this step-parent adoption, Robert gains all the legal rights and responsibilities of a parent, just as if Chloe were his biological daughter. Typically, the legal rights of Chloe's biological father would be terminated, establishing Robert as her legal father alongside Lisa.