WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced House Bill 4360
By Delegate C. Pritt [Introduced January 10, 2024 ; Referred to the Committee on Senior, Children, and Family Issues then Judiciary]
 Intr HB 2024R1657
1 A BILL to amend and reenact §48-22-201 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
2 relating to venue for an adoption when a court had guardianship jurisdiction of a minor
3 child.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 22. ADOPTION.
§48-22-201. Persons who may petition for decree of adoption; venue when court has guardianship jurisdiction.
1 (a) Any person not married or any person, with his or her spouse’s consent, or any
2 husband and wife jointly, may petition a circuit court of the county wherein such person or persons
3 reside for a decree of adoption of any minor child or person who may be adopted by the petitioner
4 or petitioners: Provided, That if the minor child to be adopted has been removed from a prior home
5 due to an abuse or neglect proceeding, the petition may be filed in the same county as the original
6 abuse and neglect proceeding regarding the minor child.
7 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the location of a court
8 that had guardianship jurisdiction over a minor child has venue for an adoption petition of that
9 child.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide that the location of a court with guardianship jurisdiction of a minor child has venue for an adoption.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 48-22-201