Adoption is the legal process in which a person assumes responsibility for the health, safety, well-being, and financial support of another person—usually a child—and terminates the rights and responsibilities of the adopted person’s biological parent or parents.
In Montana, adoption is governed by Title 42 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). The process allows an individual or a couple to legally assume parental rights and responsibilities for a child, thereby terminating the legal rights of the child's biological parents. The adoptive parents become legally responsible for the child's welfare, including health, safety, and financial support. To adopt a child in Montana, prospective parents must go through a home study, obtain necessary legal consents, and have the adoption finalized in court. The process is designed to ensure the best interests of the child are met. Adoptions can be facilitated through private arrangements, adoption agencies, or through the state's child welfare system, particularly for children who are in the foster care system. The adoption process in Montana is also open to same-sex couples following the legalization of same-sex marriage.