(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, a person seeking to adopt a minor, or the agency or attorney arranging the adoption, shall submit a petition for the minor's adoption no later than ninety days after the date the minor is placed in the person's home. Failure to file a petition within the time provided by this division does not affect a court's jurisdiction to hear the petition and is not grounds for denying the petition.
(B) This section does not apply if any of the following apply:
(1) The person seeking to adopt the minor is the minor's stepparent;
(2) The minor was not originally placed in the person's home with the purpose of the person adopting the minor;
(3) The minor is a "child with special needs," as defined by the director of children and youth in accordance with section 5153.163 of the Revised Code.
Last updated March 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM