The adult adoption forms are a self-help packet from the Montana Judicial Branch for a person who wants to adopt an adult in a Montana district court. The packet holds six forms, AA 100 through AA 600, each with a cover page of brief instructions. It is information only and is not legal advice. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the court receives the filing only through the channels described below, and the agency publishes the original packet at courts.mt.gov.
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What is AA 100–AA 600?
Adult Adoption Forms is the Montana Judicial Branch's self-help packet for adopting an adult in Montana. It contains six court forms: a petition, three consents, an order setting hearing and an adoption decree.
The six forms are:
- AA 100, Petition for Adult Adoption, which starts the case and asks the court to approve the adoption.
- AA 200, Consent of Prospective Adult Adoptee.
- AA 300, Consent of Prospective Adoptive Parent.
- AA 400, Consent of Spouse of Prospective Adoptive Parent.
- AA 500, Order Setting Hearing, which asks the court to set a hearing date for the petition.
- AA 600, Adult Adoption Decree, a proposed order that you prepare for the judge to sign.
The consent forms state that the person signing understands the parent and adult child relationship being created, including its possible consequences for inheritance, property or support (Section 42-4-403, MCA). The pre-printed decree says the relationship between the adoptee and the natural parents stays the same and that inheritance between the parties is governed by Montana Code Annotated, Title 72.
The packet covers adult adoption only. The Judicial Branch's adoption page lists a separate Stepparent Adoption Packet and notes that its forms do not cover every type of adoption proceeding. The packet is free for non-commercial use at https://courts.mt.gov/Forms/.
Who needs to file AA 100–AA 600?
The main user is the Petitioner, the adult who wants to adopt another adult in Montana and starts the case with the petition (AA 100). Three other people take part:
- The adult who wishes to be adopted completes and signs the Consent of Prospective Adult Adoptee (AA 200) in front of a Notary Public.
- The prospective adoptive parent completes the Consent of Prospective Adoptive Parent (AA 300), also notarized. The form states that the signer is over 18 years of age.
- The spouse of the prospective adoptive parent completes AA 400 when the prospective adoptive parent is married. If the prospective adoptive parent is not married, AA 400 does not have to be completed.
The packet is built for people representing themselves. Court Help staff can answer questions and review forms for completeness, but they are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. Do not use this packet for other kinds of adoption: the Judicial Branch lists a separate Stepparent Adoption Packet, and it says its forms do not cover every type of adoption proceeding. The packet itself warns that the law differs in each state and that some information may not be correct outside Montana.
When to file AA 100–AA 600
You file when you are ready to start the adult adoption case: the petition (AA 100), every required consent form and the Order Setting Hearing (AA 500) go to the court together in your initial filing. The packet sets no filing deadline.
The court sets the hearing date and time on AA 500. You prepare the Adult Adoption Decree (AA 600) in advance and bring it to the hearing. If the judge grants the adoption, the judge signs the decree after the hearing and you file it with the Clerk of Court.
The Judicial Branch's adoption page also lists a Montana Certificate of Adoption, with instructions from the Montana DPHHS Office of Vital Statistics, which is to be filed after the Decree of Adoption has been obtained.
Documents you need
- Consent of Prospective Adult Adoptee (AA 200), notarized, filed with the petition in the initial filing.
- Consent of Prospective Adoptive Parent (AA 300), notarized, filed with the petition in the initial filing.
- Consent of Spouse of Prospective Adoptive Parent (AA 400), notarized, only if the prospective adoptive parent is married; filed with the petition.
- Order Setting Hearing (AA 500), filed with the petition and the consent forms so the court can set the hearing date.
- Adult Adoption Decree (AA 600), prepared in advance and brought to the hearing; if the judge grants the adoption, it is signed and then filed with the Clerk of Court.
- Montana Certificate of Adoption from the DPHHS Office of Vital Statistics, to be filed after the Decree of Adoption has been obtained, as listed on the Judicial Branch adoption page.
How to fill out AA 100–AA 600
Fill in the court and case caption
On each form, enter the Montana Judicial District Court district number, the county name, and the names in the caption: the adult to be adopted and the Petitioner. Add the Petitioner's name, street address, city, state, ZIP code and phone number where the form asks. Leave the Cause No. for the clerk.
Complete the Petition, AA 100
Enter your name, address, how long you have lived there and your age (section 1). If married, give your spouse's name and where and when you married in mm/dd/yyyy (section 2). Give the adoptee's full name, birthplace and birthdate in mm/dd/yyyy (section 3); section 4 states the adoptee's name stays the same.
Prepare the Adoptee's Consent, AA 200
The prospective adult adoptee enters the name of the adoptive parent, their age and mailing address, and their relationship to the prospective adoptive parent. Items 4 and 5 state the adoptee agrees to the parent and adult child relationship and waives the right to attend the hearing.
Prepare the Adoptive Parent's Consent, AA 300
Enter your name and mailing address, the adoptee's name, birth date and birthplace, and your relationship to the adult adoptee. Items 5 and 6 cover the parent and adult child relationship, with Section 42-4-403, MCA, and the waiver of attendance at the hearing.
Complete the Spouse's Consent, AA 400
Only if the prospective adoptive parent is married, the spouse enters their name and mailing address, the names of the spouse and the adoptee, and their own relationship to the adoptee. If the prospective adoptive parent is not married, skip this form.
Prepare the Order Setting Hearing, AA 500
Fill in the court and case name information only. The clerk enters the case number, dates and signs; the court fills in the hearing date (mm/dd/yyyy), time and courthouse.
Draft the Adult Adoption Decree, AA 600
Fill in every blank you can, such as the petitioner's and adoptee's names, the adoptee's birth information, the hearing date in mm/dd/yyyy, and whether the petitioner is or is not the adoptee's stepparent. Bring it to the hearing for the judge to sign.
Review, download and sign before the notary
Check names, dates and addresses on every form, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Sign AA 100, AA 200, AA 300 and AA 400 only when you are with a Notary Public, then make the copies described under How to submit.
How to submit AA 100–AA 600
File the packet with the Montana district court for your county; the packet names no mailing address, e-filing portal or other channel.
- Initial filing: submit the petition (AA 100), the consent forms (AA 200, AA 300 and, if the petitioner is married, AA 400) and the Order Setting Hearing (AA 500) together. File the original with the court; the Petitioner and the adult being adopted each keep a copy, and a married petitioner makes one more copy for the spouse.
- Clerk and court entries: leave the case number to the clerk, who also dates and signs the forms. The court fills in the hearing date and time on AA 500.
- Hearing and decree: bring AA 600 to the hearing. If the judge grants the adoption, the judge signs it after the hearing and you file it with the Clerk of Court, then keep copies in a secure place.
- Help: the Court Help Program offers walk-in and remote appointments and can review your forms for completeness. Visit https://courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/ or call 406-444-9300. Montana Legal Services Association offers free civil legal help to low-income Montanans at https://www.mtlsa.org/ or 1-800-666-6899.
For any fee question, ask the clerk of the court where you file. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing AA 100, AA 200, AA 300 or AA 400 before you are with a Notary Public; each instruction says not to sign until the signer is in front of the notary.
- Filing the petition without all the required consent forms and the Order Setting Hearing; the instructions say they go in the initial filing together.
- Skipping AA 400 when the prospective adoptive parent is married; it is only optional when the prospective adoptive parent is not married.
- Filling in the case number, or the hearing date and time on AA 500; the clerk enters the case number and the court sets the hearing.
- Bringing too few copies; the instructions call for the original plus two copies, and an extra one for the spouse if the petitioner is married.
- Arriving at the hearing without a prepared Adult Adoption Decree (AA 600) for the judge to sign.
- Using this packet for a stepparent or other kind of adoption, when the Judicial Branch lists a separate Stepparent Adoption Packet and says its forms do not cover every proceeding.
- Treating the packet as legal advice or relying on it outside Montana; the packet says it is information only and the law differs by state.
Frequently asked questions
What are the adult adoption forms in the Montana court packet?
The Montana Judicial Branch packet has six forms: AA 100 Petition for Adult Adoption, AA 200 Consent of Prospective Adult Adoptee, AA 300 Consent of Prospective Adoptive Parent, AA 400 Consent of Spouse of Prospective Adoptive Parent, AA 500 Order Setting Hearing and AA 600 Adult Adoption Decree. Each has a cover page with brief instructions.
Do adult adoption forms have to be notarized in Montana?
Four of them do. The instructions say AA 100, AA 200, AA 300 and AA 400 must be notarized, and each signer must wait to sign until they are with a Notary Public. AA 500 and AA 600 are court orders and have no notary block.
How many copies of the adult adoption forms do I need?
Make the original and two copies. File the original with the court; the Petitioner keeps one copy and the adult being adopted keeps one. If the petitioner is married, make an extra copy for the spouse. For AA 600, copy it after the judge signs and it is filed.
Does my spouse have to consent to an adult adoption?
If the prospective adoptive parent is married, the spouse completes AA 400, Consent of Spouse of Prospective Adoptive Parent, which is filed with the petition. If the prospective adoptive parent is not married, AA 400 does not have to be completed.
Can I fill out the adult adoption forms online?
Yes. You can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file anything with the court; you file the signed, notarized forms with the Montana district court yourself.
Who fills in the case number and hearing date?
The clerk fills in the case number and dates and signs the forms. On AA 500, Order Setting Hearing, the court fills in the hearing date, time and place. You fill in the court, the party names and the personal details the forms ask for.
Where can I get help with the adult adoption forms?
The Court Help Program helps people representing themselves and can review your forms for completeness. Visit https://courts.mt.gov/SelfHelp/ or call 406-444-9300. Staff are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. Montana Legal Services Association (1-800-666-6899) helps low-income Montanans.
Does this packet cover stepparent or child adoptions?
No. It covers the adoption of an adult only. The Judicial Branch adoption page lists a separate Stepparent Adoption Packet and says its forms do not cover every type of adoption proceeding, so check that page for the right packet.
What do I do with the adult adoption decree after the hearing?
Bring the prepared AA 600 to the hearing. If the judge grants the adoption, the judge signs it after the hearing and you file it with the Clerk of Court, then keep copies in a secure place. The adoption page also lists a Montana Certificate of Adoption to file afterward.
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