Art. 1285.7 Intervention

If you want to join an adoption case that involves an agency, you can't just show up in court. You have to file a motion asking the judge for permission, and you need to give the judge a good reason why you should be part of the case.

Not just anyone can ask to join. You generally need to have been taking care of the child for at least a year. If you haven't been the child's caretaker for that long, the judge can still let you join if they decide you have a real stake in what happens to the child.

Even if the judge allows you to join the case, your role is limited. You can only present evidence about what's best for the child. You can't raise other issues or try to control the direction of the case beyond that specific purpose.