Colorado

Family Law

Family Law

Section 14-1-101 – Adoption of adults

(1) Any person desiring to adopt an adult as heir at law shall file his petition therefor in the juvenile court of the county of his residence or the county of the residence of the person sought to be adopted, and thereupon summons shall issue the same as provided in the Colorado rules of civil procedure and be served on the person sought to be adopted. Such person shall file in the court a written answer to the petition within the time required by the summons and shall either consent to such adoption or deny or disclaim all desire to be adopted by such person.
(2) Upon the filing, by the person sought to be adopted, of a disclaimer of all desire to become the heir at law of the petitioner, the petition shall be dismissed by the court, but upon the filing of a consent to such adoption, whether by the person sought to be adopted or by a legally qualified conservator or other representative if such person is non compos mentis at the time, the prayer of the petition shall be granted, and a decree of adoption shall be rendered and entered by the court declaring such person the heir at law of the petitioner and entitled to inherit from the petitioner any property in all respects as if such adopted person had been the petitioner’s child born in lawful wedlock, and such decree may or may not change the name of such adopted person, as the court rendering the decree may deem advisable; and such decree or a certified copy thereof may be used as primary evidence in any court establishing the status of the person so adopted.
(3) Any action for adoption pursuant to this section shall follow the same procedure insofar as practicable as provided in part 2 of article 5 of title 19, C.R.S., concerning the adoption of children.

C.R.S. § 14-1-101

L. 67: p. 1055, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 4-2-1. L. 87: (3) amended, p. 815, § 14, effective October 1.