Mother Giving Up Child Custody ; Relinguishment of Custody of a Child

When a mother gives up or relinquished custody to a private out of state adoption agency, there is no current requirement requiring the notary to be presented with a birth certificate. I am working at making this a requirement. If the birth certificate states the father's name this should alert the notary to a problem; especially if the mother denies knowing the name in a jurat statement. Furthermore, if the child is only a day old, the mother maybe still under the effect of medication given her during delivery of the child and not be competent to do a jurat or any other notary procedure. In my opinion, notaries should call child protective service, VA State Police, and local authorities if they detect any issues during custody relinquishment. A competent VA court can then sort out custody of the child in VA. I am strongly advocating all VA notaries insist on seeing a birth certificate during a relinquishment of a child by either parent.

According to the Washington Post. a child was removed from Virginia without permission of the father and adopted by a Utah family. A VA court awarded custody to the father. The case is being litigated in Utah under the Federal Parental Kidnapping Act. The case is going to the Utah Supreme Court. Based on news articles, proper resolution of the case consistent with the application of Federal Parental Kidnapping laws will only occur at the US Supreme Court or in Federal Court.

I think adoptions are great and I work with adopting families regularly. I am also impressed with a Census co working who kept her baby and the thoroughly integrated parenting plan she has with the father and the grandparents that allowed her to be a full time Census Enumerator!!!!!!She is going to NOVA in the Fall and will do an RN major a radiological technician degree or both.