Art. 1170 Types of adoption

Louisiana law recognizes three ways to adopt a child, and these are the only legal paths allowed in the state.

The first is agency adoption, where a licensed adoption agency handles placing the child with new parents. The second is private adoption, where the birth parents and adoptive parents work out the adoption directly, often with help from an attorney, instead of going through an agency. The third is intrafamily adoption, which happens when a relative (like a stepparent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle) adopts a child who is already part of their extended family.

Each type of adoption follows its own specific set of rules and steps, which are laid out in other parts of the law. Knowing which category your situation falls into is the first step, because it determines exactly what forms you need, what court process you'll follow, and what requirements you must meet to complete the adoption.