Rule 3 - Petition for Adoption; Related Cases; Initial Court Order(a) PETITION FOR ADOPTION. (1)Filing. Unless the court directs otherwise, for each prospective adoptee, a petitioner must file a separate petition for adoption accompanied by the documents listed in Rule 3(a)(3).(2)Format and Content. The petition for adoption must be filed on the form maintained by the court or on a form that is substantially similar in format and content. The petition must be signed under oath or affirmation by the petitioner. If there is more than one petitioner, the petition must include the required information for each petitioner. If any of the required information is unknown, the petitioner must state that on the petition.(3)Required Documents. A petitioner must file the following documents with the petition: (A) one additional copy of the petition;(B) a completed Adoption Information Form;(C) a completed District of Columbia Vital Records Form;(D) an executed copy of the Mother's Affidavit Concerning Paternity, if available;(E) in cases in which there is a related neglect case, a list of the names and addresses of: (i) counsel for the petitioner (or the name and address of the petitioner, if selfrepresented);(ii) the social worker; and(iii) all attorneys of record in the neglect case; and(F) in cases in which there is not a related neglect case, a list of the names and addresses of:(i) counsel for the petitioner (or the name and address of the petitioner, if selfrepresented);(ii) the agency that petitioner requests prepare a Final Report required by the court; and(iii) any custodian of the prospective adoptee other than the petitioner.(4)Copy to the Reporting Agency. The clerk must provide a copy of the petition to the reporting agency designated in Rule 3(c)(1).(b) RELATED CASES. On the filing of a petition, the clerk must identify and list on the docket all Superior Court cases involving the prospective adoptee or the petitioner.(c) INITIAL COURT ORDER. On the filing of a petition, the court must issue an initial order that: (1) includes an order of reference, referring the petition to a child-placing agency or the Mayor for an investigation and Final Report, or dispenses with the requirement of an investigation and Final Report;(2) establishes deadlines for providing information to the court;(3) if applicable, consolidates the adoption case with any pending neglect case;(4) if applicable, schedules a Section-304 Hearing and indicates that if the person whose consent is required fails to appear at the Section-304 Hearing, the court may determine that consent is being withheld contrary to the best interests of the child; and(5) if the petition does not include the identity and address of a person whose consent is being withheld, requires the reporting agency to submit to the court, within 21 days after receiving the order, an expedited response that includes: (A) the name and address of each person whose consent is being withheld and the reasons for withholding consent (if known); or(B) if the name or address of a person whose consent is being withheld is still unknown, the status of efforts to identify and locate the person.COMMENT
This rule memorializes the current practice of issuing a single, initial order that includes the order of reference, order for expedited response, consolidation order, and Section-304 order (formerly show cause order). The substance of and procedures for issuing these orders were previously found throughout Rule 4.