(a)Venue. Except as provided in subsection (d), adoption proceedings must be brought in superior court in the judicial district or venue district in which, at the time of filing the petition, the petitioner or the person to be adopted resides or is in military service, or in which the agency having the care, custody, or control of the person to be adopted is located. (b)Change of Venue. Venue may be changed in the interest of substantial justice pursuant to AS 22.10.040 after a petition is filed. (c)Venue Districts. Venue districts as used in this rule refer to the districts referenced in the Venue District Map attached to Criminal Rule 18. (d)Venue for Proceedings Involving a Child in State Custody. A petition to adopt a child in state custody under AS 47.10must be brought in the superior court where the child-in-need-of-aid proceeding is pending or in the judicial district in which the petitioner resides as provided under AS 47.10.111 and AS 25.23.030(d).SCO 972 effective 1/15/1990; amended by SCO 1886 effective 1/1/2017; amended by SCO 1898 effective 1/1/2017. Chapter 6, 4SSLA 2016 (HB 200) enacted changes to the procedures for adopting or becoming the guardian of a child in state custody. Section 14 of the Act amended Adoption Rule 5, effective January 1, 2017, by adding a new subsection addressing where to file an adoption petition when the child is in state custody. This rule change is adopted for the sole reason that the legislature has mandated the amendment.