Legal Definitions - adoptive mother

An adoptive mother is a woman who has legally become the parent of a child through the process of adoption. This legal procedure establishes a permanent parent-child relationship, granting her all the same rights and responsibilities as a biological mother, even though she is not the child's birth parent.

• Scenario: After fostering a young girl named Maya for three years, Sarah decided to formally adopt her. The court finalized the adoption, legally making Sarah Maya's mother.

  Explanation: Sarah is Maya's adoptive mother because a court order legally established her as Maya's parent, granting her all parental rights and responsibilities, even though Maya was not born to her.

• Scenario: Maria, a single woman, traveled to Colombia to adopt a baby boy named Mateo. After completing all the necessary legal procedures in both Colombia and her home country, Mateo became her son.

  Explanation: Maria is Mateo's adoptive mother because she legally adopted him through an international process, creating a recognized parent-child relationship with all the associated legal rights and duties.

• Scenario: After marrying Mark, Lisa wanted to formally adopt his daughter, Lily, whose biological mother was no longer involved in her life. With Mark's consent and the biological mother's parental rights terminated, a court finalized Lisa's adoption of Lily.

  Explanation: Lisa became Lily's adoptive mother because the legal adoption process established her as Lily's full legal parent, granting her the same rights and responsibilities as if she were Lily's biological mother.