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• ADOPTIONS – Kenton County Circuit Court

Kenton County Circuit Court

• ADOPTIONS

Adoption cases include both termination of parental rights and petitions to adopt. A separate petition must be filed for each child.

  • Please provide sufficient copies of your complaint and summons. The clerk is usually required to send two copies to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. There must also be a copy for each summons to be served, as well as a copy for any Guardian ad Litem or Warning Order Attorney (if appointed).  If you do not have the correct amount of copies, we will make the copies at a rate of .25 per page.

Filing Fees (unless accompanied by a Motion for Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis):

           $198.00 + service fee(s).

For a full fee schedule click here.

All cases also require a Civil Case Cover Sheet which can be found here.

  • To schedule a court date please contact the Judge’s office.
    • Judge Beck’s Office                  5th Division      (859) 292-6364
    • Judge Schoborg’s Office           2nd Division     (859) 292-6533
    • Judge Rauf’s Office                   6th Division       (85() 291-9384

CONFIDENTIALITY

  • Adoption case are confidential.  Pending case files/records are not open to inspection by anyone except the parties, their attorneys and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
  • Upon entry of final judgment of adoption and/or termination of parental rights, the case is sealed and no longer open to inspection by anyone except by court order.
  • An adult adopted person 21 years old or older may Petition To Inspect Adoption Records and bring in person or mail to the Kenton Circuit Clerk’s Office  Attn: Family Court, 230 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011.  Please attach a copy of your state issued license or ID to your Petition to Inspect Adoption Records to confirm your identity.

Other forms associated with adoption cases

***Reminder – Our office is prohibited from providing legal advice. You may contact the Northern Kentucky Bar Association (Lawyer Referral Service) @ (859) 781-1525 or for Civil Cases Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (Civil Legal Assistance) @ (859) 431-8200, or for Criminal Cases the Public Defender’s Office 1-833-385-6054 or contact a private attorney.  There is also a FREE Legal Help Center on the 2nd floor of the Justice Center on Wednesdays from 11 am until 2 pm.

John Middleton