Section 25-6-12 - Appearance at hearing and execution of consent and agreement by parties--Appearance by attorney, guardian, or agent--Appearance by department.
25-6-12. Appearance at hearing and execution of consent and agreement by parties--Appearance by attorney, guardian, or agent--Appearance by department. Before the hearing on a petition for adoption, the person adopting a child, the child adopted, and the other persons whose consent is necessary, shall execute their consent in writing, and the person adopting shall execute an agreement to the effect that the child adopted shall be treated in all respects as his own. The consent forms and the agreement of the person adopting shall be filed with the court. At the time of the hearing on the petition, the person adopting a child and the child to be adopted shall appear in court. All persons whose consent is necessary, except the child and the person adopting the child, may appear by a person filing with the court a power of attorney, or a guardian may appear on behalf of the child, or a duly incorporated home or society for the care of dependent or neglected children may by its authorized officer or agent, consent to the adoption of a child surrendered to such home or society by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Department of Social Services may appear in court and consent to the adoption of a child surrendered to it by any court of competent jurisdiction, or, if the department has custody of a child by written agreement of a parent or parents with power of attorney to consent to adoption, by the officer of the department holding such power of attorney.
Source: SDC 1939, § 14.0406; SL 1945, ch 47, § 1; SL 1947, ch 54; SL 1973, ch 165; SL 1989, ch 219; SL 1993, ch 213, § 117.