§ 1412. Delegation of Authority to the Governor
TITLE 8: FAMILY LAW AND PROBATE DIVISION 1: DOMESTIC RELATIONS § 1412. Effect of Petition and Decree of Adoption. (a) A final decree of adoption and an interlocutory decree of adoption which has become final, whether issued by a court of the Commonwealth or of any other place, have the following effect as to matters within the jurisdiction or before a court of the Commonwealth: (1) Except with respect to a spouse of the petitioner and relatives of the spouse in the case of a stepparent adoption, to relieve the natural parents of the adopted individual of all parental rights and responsibilities, and to terminate all legal relationships between the adopted individual and his relatives, includ- ing his natural parents, so that the adopted individual thereafter is a stranger to his former relatives for all purposes, including inheritance and the interpreta- tion or construction of all documents, statutes, and instruments, whether exe- cuted before or after the adoption is decreed, which do not expressly include the individual by name or by some designation not based on a parent and child or blood relationship; and (2) To create the relationship of parent and child between the petitioner and the adopted individual, as if the adopted individual were, a legitimate blood descendant of the petitioner, for all purposes including inheritance and ap- plicability of statutes, documents, and instruments, whether executed before or after the adoption is decreed, which do not expressly exclude an adopted indi- vidual from their operation or effect. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, if a parent of a child dies without the relationship of parent and child having been previous- ly terminated and a spouse of the living parent thereafter adopts the child, the child’s right of inheritance from or through the deceased parent is unaffected by the adoption. (c) An interlocutory decree of adoption, while it is in force, has the same legal effect as a final decree of adoption. If an interlocutory decree of adoption is vacated, it shall be as though void from its issuance, and the rights, liabilities, and status of all affected persons which have not become vested shall be governed accordingly. Source: PL 8-42, § 14.
Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission