{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/63.2-1242.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/63.2-1242.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/63.2-1242.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/63.2-1242.3.html"}],"law_id":375337,"edition_id":2,"section_id":375337,"structure_id":53362,"section_number":"63.2-1242.3","catch_line":"Close relative placement; child in home for two years or more","history":"2006, cc. 825, 848; 2010, c. 306; 2018, c. 4.","full_text":"When the child has continuously resided in the home or has been in the continuous physical custody of the prospective adoptive parent(s) who is a close relative for two or more years, the parental placement provisions of this chapter shall not apply and the adoption proceeding shall commence in the circuit court.\n\n\t\tFor adoptions under this section:\n\n1\n\nAn order of reference, an investigation and a report shall not be made unless the circuit court in its discretion shall require an investigation and report to be made.\n\n2\n\nThe circuit court may omit the probationary period and the interlocutory order and enter a final order of adoption when the court is of the opinion that the entry of an order would otherwise be proper.\n\n3\n\nIf the circuit court determines the need for an investigation, it shall refer the matter to the local director of the department of social services for an investigation and report, which shall be completed in such time as the circuit court designates.\n\n4\n\nThe circuit court may waive appointment of a guardian ad litem for the child.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1401095,"text":"When the child has continuously resided in the home or has been in the continuous physical custody of the prospective adoptive parent(s) who is a close relative for two or more years, the parental placement provisions of this chapter shall not apply and the adoption proceeding shall commence in the circuit court.\t\tFor adoptions under this section:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":1401096,"text":"An order of reference, an investigation and a report shall not be made unless the circuit court in its discretion shall require an investigation and report to be made.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":1401097,"text":"The circuit court may omit the probationary period and the interlocutory order and enter a final order of adoption when the court is of the opinion that the entry of an order would otherwise be proper.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":1401098,"text":"If the circuit court determines the need for an investigation, it shall refer the matter to the local director of the department of social services for an investigation and report, which shall be completed in such time as the circuit court designates.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":1401099,"text":"The circuit court may waive appointment of a guardian ad litem for the child.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":53362,"edition_id":2,"name":"Close Relative Adoption","identifier":"4.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":8,"parent_id":53356,"metadata":{"child_laws":3,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:15:34","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:36:59","permalink":{"id":1498587,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53362,"identifier":"4.1","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53356,"edition_id":2,"name":"Adoption","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":4,"parent_id":53353,"metadata":{"child_laws":67,"child_structures":9},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:15:27","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:36:58","permalink":{"id":1498367,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53356,"identifier":"12","token":"63.2\/III\/12","url":"\/63.2\/III\/12\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53353,"edition_id":2,"name":"Social Services Programs","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":53350,"metadata":{"child_laws":188,"child_structures":29},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:15:26","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:36:57","permalink":{"id":1498333,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53353,"identifier":"III","token":"63.2\/III","url":"\/63.2\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":53350,"edition_id":2,"name":"Welfare (Social Services)","identifier":"63.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":135,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":493,"child_structures":73},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:15:26","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:36:55","permalink":{"id":1497663,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":53350,"identifier":"63.2","token":"63.2","url":"\/63.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":375335,"structure_id":53362,"section_number":"63.2-1242.1","catch_line":"Relative adoption","url":"\/63.2-1242.1\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.1","metadata":false},{"id":375336,"structure_id":53362,"section_number":"63.2-1242.2","catch_line":"Close relative adoption; child in home less than two years","url":"\/63.2-1242.2\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.2","metadata":false},{"id":375337,"structure_id":53362,"section_number":"63.2-1242.3","catch_line":"Close relative placement; child in home for two years or more","url":"\/63.2-1242.3\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":375336,"structure_id":53362,"section_number":"63.2-1242.2","catch_line":"Close relative adoption; child in home less than two years","url":"\/63.2-1242.2\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/63.2-1242.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2006. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 825<\/a> and 848<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2010, chapter 306<\/a>; in 2018, chapter 4<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1498597,"object_type":"law","relational_id":375337,"identifier":"63.2-1242.3","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.3","url":"\/63.2-1242.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1242.3\/","token":"63.2\/III\/12\/4.1\/63.2-1242.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Close relative placement; child in home for two years or more","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1242.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

When the child<\/span> has continuously resided in the home or has been in the continuous physical custody<\/span> of the prospective adoptive parent(s) who is a close relative for two or more years, the parental placement<\/span> provisions of this chapter shall not apply and the adoption proceeding shall commence in the circuit<\/span> court<\/span>.

\t\tFor adoptions under this section:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> An order<\/span> of reference, an investigation and a report shall not be made unless the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> in its discretion shall require an investigation and report to be made. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may omit the probationary period and the interlocutory order<\/span> and enter a final order<\/span> of adoption when the court<\/span> is of the opinion<\/span> that the entry of an order would otherwise be proper. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> If the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> determines the need for an investigation, it shall refer the matter to the local director<\/span> of the department<\/span> of social services<\/span> for an investigation and report, which shall be completed in such time as the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> designates. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> The circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may waive<\/span> appointment of a guardian ad litem<\/span> for the child<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCLOSE RELATIVE PLACEMENT; CHILD IN HOME FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE (\u00a7 63.2-1242.3)\n\nWhen the child has continuously resided in the home or has been in the\ncontinuous physical custody of the prospective adoptive parent(s) who is a close\nrelative for two or more years, the parental placement provisions of this\nchapter shall not apply and the adoption proceeding shall commence in the\ncircuit court.\t\tFor adoptions under this section:\n\n1. An order of reference, an investigation and a report shall not be made unless\nthe circuit court in its discretion shall require an investigation and report to\nbe made.\n\n2. The circuit court may omit the probationary period and the interlocutory\norder and enter a final order of adoption when the court is of the opinion that\nthe entry of an order would otherwise be proper.\n\n3. If the circuit court determines the need for an investigation, it shall refer\nthe matter to the local director of the department of social services for an\ninvestigation and report, which shall be completed in such time as the circuit\ncourt designates.\n\n4. The circuit court may waive appointment of a guardian ad litem for the child.\n\nHISTORY: 2006, cc. 825, 848; 2010, c. 306; 2018, c. 4.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}