Winter v. Director of the Department of Public Welfare

The only question involved in this appeal is whether Section 72 of Article 16 of the Code (1957) violates the provisions of the federal constitution. It reads, in part, as follows :

“A petition for adoption, as hereinafter described, may be preceded by a petition for guardianship with the right to consent to adoption, and such guardianship decree, which the courts having jurisdiction of adoption matters may require and shall have power to grant after such hearing and investigation as the court may deem appropriate, shall terminate natural parental rights, provided that due notice of the…