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HRS §578-11

Adoption after the person who asked dies

If a person who asked to adopt a child dies before the court decides, the court can still finish the adoption if it is best for the child and any surviving person who asked still wants it. The adoption would be treated as if it happened when the request was first made.

courts

The statute, as written — Disposition in case of death of petitioners

Notwithstanding the death of a petitioner or the petitioners during the pendency of the petition, the court, if it finds that the best interests of the individual to be adopted will be served thereby, and, in the case of a surviving petitioner, that such petitioner so desires, may enter a decree of adoption as prayed for in the petition, effective as of the date of the filing of the petition. [RL 1945, pt of §12276; am L 1953, c 115, pt of §1; RL 1955, §331-11; HRS §578-11; am L 1973, c 211, §3(i); am L 1976, c 194, §1(6)]
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.