Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 26-10A-7, the consent or relinquishment of the following persons shall not be required for an adoption:
(1) A parent whose rights with reference to the adoptee have been terminated by operation of law in accordance with the Alabama Child Protection Act, Sections 26-18-1 through 26-18-10;
(2) A parent who has been adjudged incompetent pursuant to law or a parent whom the court finds to be mentally incapable of consenting or relinquishing and whose mental disability is likely to continue for so long a period that it would be detrimental to the adoptee to delay adoption until restoration of the parent's competency or capacity. The court must appoint independent counsel or a guardian ad litem for an incompetent parent for whom there has been no such prior appointment;
(3) A parent who has relinquished his or her minor child to the Department of Human Resources or a licensed child placing agency for an adoption;
(4) A deceased parent or one who is presumed to be deceased under Alabama law;
(5) An alleged father who has signed a written statement denying paternity; or
(6) The natural father where the natural mother indicates the natural father is unknown, unless the natural father is otherwise made known to the court.
Last modified: May 3, 2021