Art. 1279.7.  Expedited procedure for finalizing adoptions

In order to shorten the waiting time for finalizing the adoption when the child is eligible for adoption, the following shall apply:

(1)  Where the child has been placed in foster care with the prospective adoptive parents, any necessary waiting period as required by Article 1211 shall be applied retroactively.

(2)  When the child is in the custody of the department, any additional home study required by Article 1207 may be waived by the court if the adoptive parents have been the foster parents of the child for the required six-month time period.

(3)(a)  Whenever a child has been placed in the custody of the department and the child is eligible for adoption, the prospective adoptive parents may file an adoption proceeding in the court that terminated the parental rights, pursuant to Article 1180, and the case shall be allotted to the judge who presided over the termination proceedings.

(b)  The court may order the approval of the adoptive placement ex parte without the need for a hearing required pursuant to Article 1177, where the prospective adoptive parents were previously approved by the department as foster parents for the child.

Acts 2013, No. 66, §1, eff. May 31, 2013.