§ 14 — Judgment

(a) Prior to the entry of the judgment for order of adoption in any case other than an adoption of a related child or of an adult, each petitioner and each person, agency, association, corporation, institution, society or organization involved in the adoption of the child, except a child welfare agency, shall execute an affidavit setting forth the hospital and medical costs, legal fees, counseling fees, and any other fees or expenditures paid in accordance with Section 12C-70 of the Criminal Code of 2012. (b) Before the entry of the judgment for adoption, each child welfare agency involved in the adoption of the child shall file an affidavit concerning the costs, expenses, contributions, fees, compensation, or other things of value which have been given, promised, or received including but not limited to hospital and medical costs, legal fees, social services, living expenses, or any other expenses related to the adoption paid in accordance with the Adoption Compensation Prohibition Act or Section 12C-70 of the Criminal Code of 2012. If the total amount paid by the child welfare agency is $4,500 or more, the affidavit shall contain an itemization of expenditures. If the total amount paid by the child welfare agency is less than $4,500, the agency may file an unitemized affidavit stating that the total amount paid is less than $4,500 unless the court, in its discretion, requires that agency to file an itemized affidavit. (c) No affidavit need be filed in the case of an adoption of a related child or an adult, nor shall an affidavit be required to be filed by a non-consenting parent, or by any judge, or clerk, involved in an official capacity in the adoption proceedings. (d) All affidavits filed in accordance with this Section shall be under penalty of perjury and shall include, but are not limited to, hospital and medical costs, legal fees, social services, living expenses or any other expenses related to the adoption or to the placement of the child, whether or not the payments are permitted by applicable laws. (e) Except as provided in subsections (f), (f-1), (f-2), and (f-5), upon the expiration of 6 months after the date of any interim order vesting temporary care, custody and control of a child, other than a related child, in the petitioners, entered pursuant to this Act, the petitioners may apply to the court for a judgment of adoption. Notice of such application shall be served by the petitioners upon the investigating agency or the person making such investigation, and the guardian ad litem. After the hearing on such application, at which the petitioners and the child shall appear in person, unless their presence is waived by the court for good cause shown, the court may enter a judgment for adoption, provided the court is satisfied from the report of the investigating agency or the person making the investigation, and from the evidence, if any, introduced, that the adoption is for the welfare of the child and that there is a valid consent, or that no consent is required as provided in Section 8 of this Act. (f) A judgment for adoption of a related child may be entered at any time after service of process and after the return day designated therein. (f-1) A judgment for adoption of an adult may be entered at any time after the adult has consented to the adoption. (f-2) A judgment for adoption of a child as to whose adoption an Illinois-licensed child welfare agency, or person authorized by law, has the right of authority to consent may be entered at any time after placement and completion of investigation as required by this Act. (f-5) A standby adoption judgment may be entered upon notice of the death of the consenting parent or upon the consenting parent's request that a final judgment for adoption be entered. The notice must be provided to the court within 60 days after the standby adoptive parent's receipt of knowledge of death of the consenting parent or the consenting parent's request that a final judgment for adoption be entered. If the court finds that adoption is for the welfare of the child and that there is a valid consent, including consent for standby adoption, which is still in effect, or that no consent is required under Section 8 of the Act, a judgment for adoption shall be entered unless the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that it is no longer in the best interest of the child for the adoption to be finalized. (g) No special findings of fact or certificate of evidence shall be necessary in any case to support the judgment. (h) Only the circuit court that entered the judgment of the adoption may order the issuance of any contents of the court file or that the original birth record of the adoptee be provided to any persons.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-139, eff. 1-1-22 .)