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Adoption law is largely state law. The parent-child relationship established by adoption, however, may have direct consequences in areas of Federal law affected by family status such as Social Security. All 50 states have statutes governing adoption as defined under the Uniform Adoption Act .

The code defines the process by which a legal parent-child relationship is created between individuals without biological relation.

In some states, doctrines of "equitable adoption" allow courts to recognize adoptions when not all statutory procedures have been carried out.