West Virginia § 48-22-304 Consent or relinquishment by infants

West Virginia Statutes

§ 48-22-304 — Consent or relinquishment by infants

West Virginia § 48-22-304

Ch. 48DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Art. 22ADOPTION

This text of West Virginia § 48-22-304 (Consent or relinquishment by infants) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 48-22-304 (2026).

Text

If a person who has executed a consent to or relinquishment for adoption is under eighteen years of age at the time of the filing of the petition, and such infant parent is a resident of the state, the consent or relinquishment shall be specifically reviewed and approved by the court and a guardian ad litem may be appointed to represent the interests of the infant parent. The guardian ad litem shall conduct a discreet inquiry regarding the consent or relinquishment given, and may inquire of any person having knowledge of the consent or relinquishment. If the guardian ad litem finds reasonable cause to believe that the consent or relinquishment was obtained by fraud or duress, the court may request the infant parent to appear before the court or at a deposition, so that inquiry may be made 

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If a person who has executed a consent to or relinquishment for adoption is under eighteen years of age at the time of the filing of the petition, and such infant parent is a resident of the state, the consent or relinquishment shall be specifically reviewed and approved by the court and a guardian ad litem may be appointed to represent the interests of the infant parent. The guardian ad litem shall conduct a discreet inquiry regarding the consent or relinquishment given, and may inquire of any person having knowledge of the consent or relinquishment. If the guardian ad litem finds reasonable cause to believe that the consent or relinquishment was obtained by fraud or duress, the court may request the infant parent to appear before the court or at a deposition, so that inquiry may be made regarding the circumstances surrounding the execution of the consent or relinquishment. The failure of the court to appoint a guardian ad litem is not grounds for setting aside a decree of adoption.