Legal Question in Family Law in Alabama

Re: Adoption

parental rights have to be terminated first. DHR would have to file a petition, and by law, once a child has been in DHR's custody for a period of 16 months they have to do this. The parents are given goals that they must achieve or meet to get custody back or make satisfactory progress. In order for an adoption to occur, after terminating parental rights, the child must be in a persons custody for a year before they can adopt that child.