Art. 1198 Persons who may petition for adoption

Here's what this rule means for people looking to adopt a child through an agency in Louisiana.

If you're single and at least 18 years old, you can file a petition on your own to adopt a child. Married couples can also adopt together by filing one petition as a team. Either path is allowed under the law.

The rule also covers a sad situation that sometimes happens during the adoption process. If a married couple files to adopt together, but one spouse dies before the adoption is finalized, the surviving spouse doesn't have to start over. The case can keep moving forward, treating the surviving spouse as if they had filed the petition alone from the start.

This means a death during the process won't automatically stop the adoption or force the surviving spouse to file new paperwork. The court can simply continue with the case, now treating it as a single-person adoption.