Second Parent Adoption | New Hampshire

Yes, but probably only so long as they are married. In a 1987 case involving a straight couple, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that New Hampshire’s adoption statute, which permits joint adoption by a “husband and wife,” ( NH RSA 170-B:4, I) does not allow two unmarried adults to adopt together.68 Although the language of the statute is gendered, a married same-sex couple should be allowed to adopt.

A second-parent adoption is when one partner adopts the other partner’s biological child. Although New Hampshire law has no explicit prohibition against second-parent adoptions, the New Hampshire Supreme Court has yet to rule on the issue. While some second-parent adoptions have been granted by the lower courts, others have been denied. If you are an unmarried couple who has been denied the ability to petition for a second-parent adoption, please contact GLAD Answers.

However, there is some good news: New Hampshire law explicitly allows for step-parent adoption, whereby one spouse adopts the other’s biological child (NH RSA 170-B:4, IV(a)). Married same-sex couples can use this process to effectuate a second-parent adoption.

For more information about both adoption and second parent adoption see Kesyon ak Repons sou Adopsyon.

Tou de adopsyon konjwen ak adopsyon pa yon dezyèm paran asire ke pitit ou a gen de paran legal, sa ki souvan bay plis konfò ak sekirite pou tout moun ki enplike. Tou depan de sitiyasyon familyal patikilye ou a, lalwa ka pa rekonèt tou de patnè yo kòm paran legal san yon adopsyon. Nan ka sa yo, paran ki pa legal la bezwen pèmisyon espesyal pou pran desizyon medikal pou timoun nan oswa pou patisipe nan reyinyon lekòl yo, epi li riske pèdi gad legal la si koup la separe.

Adopsyon pèmèt yon paran ki pa legal vin yon paran legal, ki gen dwa pran desizyon pou timoun nan san otorizasyon espesyal. Li pèmèt tou paran adoptif la otomatikman pran gad timoun nan si patnè li a mouri. Menm jan an tou, si paran adoptif la mouri, timoun nan ap gen dwa eritye nan men li menm si pa gen yon testaman, epi li ka kapab resevwa benefis sivivan sekirite sosyal.

Finally, if a couple separates, adoption ensures that both parents have the right to custody and visitation, and that any disputes will be decided based on what is in the best interests of the child rather than on who is the legal parent.

Yon adopsyon konjwen se lè tou de patnè yo adopte yon timoun ansanm an menm tan. Yon adopsyon pa yon dezyèm paran se lè youn nan patnè yo adopte pitit lòt patnè a. Yon adopsyon pa yon sèl paran se lè yon sèl moun adopte yon timoun. Tout twa metòd sa yo legal nan Connecticut.

A biological parent who has a relationship with their child is a legal parent. An adoptive parent is similarly a legal parent.

Even without a biological or adoptive connection, certain individuals are presumed to be legal parents by law. For instance, a man is presumed to be a father if he is married to the child’s mother or marries her after the child’s birth and acknowledges paternity in writing (NH RSA 168-B:3, I(a)). Although the statute is gendered, it should apply equally to same-sex couples (see, NH RSA 23:3 (“gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familiar relationships … shall be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout New Hampshire law)).

Similarly, parentage is presumed when a person “receives the child into [their] home and openly holds out the child as [their] child” (NH RSA 168-B:3, I(d)). In a groundbreaking 2014 case, In Re Guardianship of Madelyn B. (166 N.H. 453 (2014)), the New Hampshire Supreme Court established that this presumption applies equally to same-sex parents. The court also held that a lack of biological connection did not bar the application of the presumption, since the “presumptions are driven not by biolog[y]…but by the state’s interest in the welfare of the child and the integrity of the family” (Id. at 462). GLAD and co-counsel Kysa Crusco represented the plaintiff in the case, a lesbian non-birth mother seeking to establish legal parentage of her daughter.

While this decision is an incredibly important victory for all LGBT families, having to go through a court to establish parenthood is painful and costly. Couples are strongly encouraged to obtain legal recognition of parent-child relationships outside of court. For more information, see GLAD’s publication, Pwoteje Fanmi yo: Nòm pou Fanmi LGBT yo.

A second parent adoption is the best way to ensure the ongoing parental rights of both partners. Even if New Hampshire law presumes you are a legal parent, another state may not respect that presumption if you or your partner moves. By contrast, adoption is a court judgment creating a parent-child relationship and is very likely to be respected by other states, even if these states are otherwise hostile to same-sex couples parenting.

Ba lateral Miller-Jenkins

Konte sou bon volonte yon patnè, oubyen menm sou lefèt ke yon timoun fèt nan yon maryaj oubyen yon inyon sivil, se pa pi bon fason pou asire dwa kontinyèl tou de paran yo si koup la separe pita. Yon egzanp se... Miller-Jenkins kont Miller-JenkinsKa sa a te anba litij depi 2004, li te enplike de Tribinal Siprèm eta (Vermont ak Virginia), epi li deja fè plizyè vwayaj nan Tribinal Siprèm Etazini. Pwosedi yo ap kontinye.

Nan ka sa a, Janet ak Lisa te gen yon pitit, Isabella, pandan yo te nan yon inyon sivil. Janet pa t adopte. Apre koup la te separe, Lisa te demenaje al rete Vijini epi li te itilize tou de mank adopsyon an, ak lwa Vijini yo ki ostil anvè relasyon moun menm sèks pou anpeche Janet gen kontak ak pitit fi yo a. Finalman, sepandan, tribinal Vijini yo te dakò ke tribinal Vermont yo te gen otorite pou pran desizyon sou gad timoun ak vizit.

Apre plizyè tantativ pou fè Lisa bay Janet dwa vizit, an Novanm 2009, Tribinal Fanmi Vermont lan te bay yon lòd ki te bay Janet responsablite pou pran swen Isabella chak jou, pandan l ap bay Lisa dwa vizit liberal. Transfè gad legal la te dwe fèt 1ye janvye 2010. Sepandan, Lisa pa t parèt nan lè ki te fikse a, epi yo te bay yon manda arestasyon. Yo poko jwenn Lisa ak Isabella.

GLAD and local counsel represented Janet in the Vermont proceedings. For more information about the case, go to https://www.gladlaw.org/work/cases/miller-jenkins-v-miller-jenkins.

Yes. In 2014, the New Hampshire General Court passed Senate Bill 353, An Act Relative to Surrogacy (NH RSA 168-B, available at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2014/SB0353.html), which updated New Hampshire’s surrogacy law to reflect advances in assisted reproductive technologies. Previously New Hampshire law allowed surrogacy only when the intended mother’s eggs were used, and only when the intended parents were married. The new Act, which is one of the most comprehensive and forward-looking surrogacy laws in the country, allows all individuals to become parents via surrogacy regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.

The Act also simplified the legal process for intended parents, establishing standardized criteria for gestational carrier agreements and ensuring that all parties are legally protected. It sets minimum requirements for gestational carrier agreements and recognizes that these agreements are legally enforceable contracts. However, it is important to note that the Act allows a surrogate to keep the child if she executes a signed writing of her intention and delivers it to the intended parents at least 72 hours prior to the birth (see NH RSA 168-B:25, I-IV).

These are tricky cases, but a non-legal parent may be able show that they stand in loco parentis to their child, entitling them to a limited number of rights, including the ability to intervene in custody proceedings. To establish in loco parentis, an individual must show that they admitted the child into their family and treated the child as a family member, forming a “psychological parent-child relationship.”

Gen yon kantite etap ki ka pran, byenke okenn pa ofri sekirite adopsyon yon dezyèm paran.

1. Akò ko-parantaj: Yon akò ko-parantaj se yon akò ki etabli atant paran yo sou wòl youn lòt ak plan yo nan ka separasyon, andikap, oswa lanmò. Pandan ke tribinal yo pa toujou bay akò sa yo tout efè, paske yo oblije pran desizyon sou gad timoun ak vizit ki baze sou pi bon enterè timoun nan, yo se endikatè enpòtan sou sa koup la ap fè. kwè te nan pi bon enterè timoun nan epi li ka enfliyanse desizyon final tribinal la.
2. Ko-gad legal: A legal parent may choose to name the non-legal parent as a co-guardian. This process allows the non-legal parent to make the same kinds of decisions for the child that a legal parent makes, including medical decisions (see NH RSA 463:10 (allowing appointment of appropriate persons, including “co-guardians may be appointed when in the best interests of the minor”), 12 (rights of guardian)). The best interest of the child standard controls appointments of guardians (NH RSA 463:8), and a guardian must file annual reports on the minor’s welfare (NH RSA 463:12). This status is not permanent and any person, including the legal parent, may petition to have a guardian removed (NH RSA 463:14-16).
3. Testaman: Yon paran legal ka itilize testaman li pou nonmen yon gadyen legal pou pran gad timoun nan lè paran an mouri. Tribinal yo bay anpil preferans sou volonte sa yo. Sepandan, si timoun nan gen yon lòt paran legal k ap viv, moun sa a ap gen priyorite sou gadyen legal ki te nonmen an.