Curricular Offerings

Issues in Adoption Law

This seminar, first offered in the Spring of 2003, focuses on the public and private law issues that arise during and after the adoption of minor children. These issues may include who may adopt, how children are freed for adoption, the regulation of the adoption process, cultural and racial issues, post-adoption disputes, and the rights of children before, during, and after the adoption process.

The limited-enrollment course is open to second- and third-year-law students. Students enrolled in the course are required to write a single research paper on a mutually-agreed topic relating to adoption and will make a presentation on that topic during class.

Past paper topics have included access to biological family records, a comparative analysis of American and Japanese adoption laws, stepparent adoptions, regulating internet adoptions, sibling placement, and the application of negligence theory to transracial adoption.

The course satisfies the Moritz College of Law's seminar requirement. Students seeking the Certificate in Children Studies may take Issues in Adoption Law to satisfy Certificate requirements.