King County Adoption Services

Effective August 1, 2011, a $20.00 user fee is required to meet with the Adoption Paralegal.

The fee to meet with a paralegal may be reduced to:

$10.00 if you earn less than $20,000 annually (income verification required);
$5.00 if you are indigent, receiving Disability Benefits of Public Assistance (a copy of your ProviderOne Services card, TANF (cash assistance), or SSI/SSDI is required);
$0 if waived by a judicial officer or FCO Management.

Effective August 1, 2011, a $15.00 file review fee is required when noting an adoption termination or finalization hearing.

Adoption Services

King County Adoption Services provides the following assistance:

Legal forms for the following types of adoptions:

Step-parent consenting
Step-parent non-consenting
Adult
International (Re-adoption)
Independent (Non-agency)

Adoption packets may be purchased by written request or in person at either:

King County Courthouse
Family Court Services
516 Third Ave, Room W-280
Seattle, WA 98104

Maleng Regional Justice Center
Family Court Services
401 Fourth Ave N, Room 1-D
Kent, WA 98032

In-person purchases may be made with a money order made payable to Office of Financial Management in the amount of $20.00.

Written requests may be sent with a money order made payable to Office of Financial Management in the amount of $23.50. Please make sure to specify which adoption packet is requested and include a return address.

General information regarding the adoption process including:

Assistance to pro ses (parties without attorneys) in finalizing their adoption (by appointment only).
Completion of the Confirmation of Consent to Adopt with relinquishing birth parents and minor children over the age of 14, per Local Rule 93.04(g). There is an hourly fee for this service.
Completion and review of adoption file prior to a scheduled adoption termination or finalization hearing.

The fee to meet with a paralegal is $20.00. It can be reduced to:

$10.00 if you earn less than $20,000 annually (income verification required);
$5.00 if you are indigent, receiving Disability Benefits of Public Assistance (a copy of your ProviderOne Services card, TANF (cash assistance), or SSI/SSDI is required);
$0 if waived by a judicial officer or FCO Management.

Review of all Adoption files prior to noted/scheduled hearings:

Per LCR 93.04(h) - File Review. The Adoption Service shall review and forward to the Court the original court file, approved adoption checklist, court docket and working copies not less than two court days prior to any properly noted hearing. The Adoption Service shall notify the Court and parties of any deficiencies noted in the court file.

King County Code 4.72.022 - Fee for adoption checklist and file review. The Superior Court is hereby authorized [to] assess a fee of fifteen dollars for the completion of an adoption checklist and file review, to be completed prior to final hearing.

When noting an adoption termination or finalization hearing, parties and/or attorneys must provide King County Adoption Services a copy of the Notice of Hearing or Note for Motion Docket per LR 93.04(b) and (c) at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the hearing along with a $15.00 payment (money order made payable to Office of Financial Management) (per King County Code 4.72.022). King County Adoption Services will review the adoption file and will complete a checklist for the court as well as the parties and/or attorneys. Parties/Attorneys will be notified if there are any issues or missing documents in advance of the hearing and may be instructed to bring any necessary documents with them.

In the event that Adoption Services has not been notified and a checklist has not been provided to the court, it will be at the discretion of the judicial officer to determine whether the hearing will go forward.

General information for parties seeking information on a particular adoption, including:

Accessing non-identifying adoption information ($60.00). This information is provided to adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents only, per Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 26.33.340. To request this service, please complete the following form and send it to Adoption Services with a money order made payable to Office of Financial Management in the amount of $60.00.

Non-ID Request Form.

Assistance in processing petitions for orders accessing sealed files ($30.00). This process can also be used to obtain copies (certified and non-certified) of certain documents from an adoption file by court order, per RCW 26.33.330. To request this service, please complete the following form and send it to Adoption Services with a money order made payable to Office of Financial Management in the amount of $30.00.

Petition to Access Sealed File Form.
Order for Original Birth Certificate .
Declaration Requesting Mailing of Sealed Documents (for out-of-state residents or special circumstances).
Order Authorizing Clerk to Send Certified Copies by Mail .

Confidential Intermediary Program Oversight. Confidential Intermediaries (CI) provide a service to help facilitate contact between parties of an adoption. King County Superior Court has reviewed the credentials of the agencies and individuals on the following list for compliance with state and local standards to serve as C.I.s. There is no supervisory or contractual relationship between the C.I. and King County Superior Court. The purpose of the list is to provide to the public opportunities to select independent C.I.s who have met minimum qualifications for that role.

Confidential Intermediary List.

For a list of the RCWs governing adoptions, please visit the Washington State Legislature Website.

To make an appointment of contact Adoption Services, please call or submit written correspondence to:

King County Adoption Services
516 Third Avenue Room W-280
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 296-9350