MINNESOTA COURT RULES

JUVENILE COURT

Minnesota Rules of Adoption Procedure

Rule 20.Parties

20.01Party Status

Parties to an adoption matter shall include:

(a) the child's guardian ad litem;

(b) the adoptee, if age ten (10) or older;

(c) the child's legal custodian;

(d) the child's legal guardian;

(e) the petitioner;

(f) the adopting parent, in cases where the social services agency is the petitioner;

(g) the child's biological parent, if the consent of the biological parent is required and has not been executed pursuant to Rule 33;

(h) the child's Indian tribe, if the child is an Indian child and the tribe is or was a party in an underlying juvenile protection matter as defined in Rule 2.01(19) of the Minnesota Rules of Juvenile Protection Procedure;

(i) the responsible social services agency, if the child is under the guardianship of the Commissioner of Human Services;

(j) the child placing agency, if applicable;

(k) any person who intervenes as a party pursuant to Rule 21; and

(l) any person who is joined as a party pursuant to Rule 22.

(Amended effective January 1, 2007; amended effective July 1, 2014; amended effective September 1, 2019.)

20.02Rights of Parties

A party shall have the right to:

(a) notice pursuant to Rule 31;

(b) legal representation pursuant to Rule 23;

(c) be present at all hearings unless excluded pursuant to Rule 8;

(d) conduct discovery pursuant to Rule 17;

(e) bring motions before the court pursuant to Rule 15;

(f) participate in settlement agreements pursuant to Rule 19;

(g) subpoena witnesses pursuant to Rule 13;

(h) make argument in support of or against the petition;

(i) present evidence;

(j) cross-examine witnesses;

(k) ask the court to order that witnesses be sequestered;

(l) request review of the referee's findings and recommended order pursuant to Rule 6, if a referee presides over the matter;

(m) bring post-trial motions pursuant to Rules 46 and 47;

(n) appeal from orders of the court pursuant to Rule 48; and

(o) any other rights as set forth in statute or these rules.

(Amended effective January 1, 2007.)

20.03Parties' Addresses

It shall be the responsibility of the petitioner to set forth in the petition the names and addresses of all parties if known to the petitioner after reasonable inquiry. It shall be the responsibility of each party to inform the court administrator of any change of address or e-mail address; Registered Users of the E-Filing System shall also update any change of e-mail address in the E-Filing System. For good cause shown, the court may grant a party's request to keep the party's address confidential.

(Amended effective July 1, 2015.)