(A) Except as provided in divisions (B), (E), and (F) of this section, a parent of a minor, who will be, if adopted, an adopted person as defined in section 3107.45 of the Revised Code, shall do all of the following as a condition of a court accepting the parent's consent to the minor's adoption:

(1) Appear personally before the court;

(2) Sign the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code;

(3) Check either the "yes" or "no" space provided on the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code and sign that component;

(4) If the parent is the mother, complete and sign the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(c) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code.

At the time the parent signs the components of the form prescribed under divisions (A)(1)(a), (b), and (c) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code, the parent may sign, if the parent chooses to do so, the components of the form prescribed under divisions (A)(1)(d), (e), and (f) of that section. After the parent signs the components required to be signed and any discretionary components the parent chooses to sign, the parent, or the attorney arranging the adoption, shall file the form and parent's consent with the court. The court or attorney shall give the parent a copy of the form and consent. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the form and consent in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

The court shall question the parent to determine that the parent understands the adoption process, the ramifications of consenting to the adoption, each component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code, and that the minor and adoptive parent may receive identifying information about the parent in accordance with section 3107.47 of the Revised Code unless the parent checks the "no" space provided on the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code or has a denial of release form filed with the department of health under section 3107.46 of the Revised Code. The court also shall question the parent to determine that the parent's consent to the adoption and any decisions the parent makes in filling out the form prescribed under division (A)(1) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code are made voluntarily.

(B) The parents of a minor, who is less than six months of age and will be, if adopted, an adopted person as defined in section 3107.45 of the Revised Code, may consent to the minor's adoption without personally appearing before a court if both parents do all of the following:

(1) Execute a notarized statement of consent to the minor's adoption before the attorney arranging the adoption;

(2) Sign the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code;

(3) Check either the "yes" or "no" space provided on the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code and sign that component.

At the time the parents sign the components of the form prescribed under divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code, the mother shall complete and sign the component of the form prescribed under division (A)(1)(c) of that section and the attorney arranging the adoption shall provide the parents the opportunity to sign, if they choose to do so, the components of the form prescribed under divisions (A)(1)(d), (e), and (f) of that section. At the time the petition to adopt the minor is submitted to the court, the attorney shall file the parents' consents and forms with the court. The attorney shall give the parents a copy of the consents and forms. At the time the attorney files the consents and forms with the court, the attorney also shall file with the court all other documents the director of job and family services requires by rules adopted under division (D) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code to be filed with the court. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the consents, forms, and documents in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

(C) Except as provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, a parent of a minor, who will be, if adopted, an adopted person as defined in section 3107.38 of the Revised Code, shall do all of the following as a condition of a court accepting the parent's consent to the minor's adoption:

(1) Appear personally before the court;

(2) Sign the component of the form prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code;

(3) If the parent is the mother, complete and sign the component of the form prescribed under division (B)(1)(b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code.

At the time the parent signs the components prescribed under divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code, the parent may sign, if the parent chooses to do so, the components of the form prescribed under divisions (B)(1)(c), (d), and (e) of that section. After the parent signs the components required to be signed and any discretionary components the parent chooses to sign, the parent, or the attorney arranging the adoption, shall file the form and parent's consent with the court. The court or attorney shall give the parent a copy of the form and consent. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the form and consent in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

The court shall question the parent to determine that the parent understands the adoption process, the ramifications of consenting to the adoption, and each component of the form prescribed under division (B)(1) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code. The court also shall question the parent to determine that the parent's consent to the adoption and any decisions the parent makes in filling out the form are made voluntarily.

(D) The parent of a minor who is less than six months of age and will be, if adopted, an adopted person as defined in section 3107.38 of the Revised Code may consent to the minor's adoption without personally appearing before a court if the parent does all of the following:

(1) Executes a notarized statement of consent to the minor's adoption before the attorney arranging the adoption;

(2) Signs the component of the form prescribed under division (B)(1)(a) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code;

(3) If the parent is the mother, completes and signs the component of the form prescribed under division (B)(1)(b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code.

At the time the parent signs the components of the form prescribed under divisions (B)(1)(a) and (b) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code, the attorney arranging the adoption shall provide the parent the opportunity to sign, if the parent chooses to do so, the components of the form prescribed under divisions (B)(1)(c), (d), and (e) of that section. At the time the petition to adopt the minor is submitted to the court, the attorney shall file the parent's consent and form with the court. The attorney shall give the parent a copy of the consent and form. At the time the attorney files the consent and form with the court, the attorney also shall file with the court all other documents the director of job and family services requires by rules adopted under division (D) of section 3107.083 of the Revised Code to be filed with the court. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the consent, form, and documents in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

(E) If a minor is to be adopted by a stepparent, the parent who is not married to the stepparent may consent to the minor's adoption without appearing personally before a court if the parent executes consent in the presence of a person authorized to take acknowledgments. The attorney arranging the adoption shall file the consent with the court and give the parent a copy of the consent. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the consent in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

(F) If a parent of a minor to be adopted resides in another state, the parent may consent to the minor's adoption without appearing personally before a court if the parent executes consent in the presence of a person authorized to take acknowledgments. The attorney arranging the adoption shall file the consent with the court and give the parent a copy of the consent. The court and attorney shall keep a copy of the consent in the court and attorney's records of the adoption.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 56, SB 23, §1, eff. 3/20/2015.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000 .