In Re the Adoption of X.J.A.

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Nuss, J.:

This case primarily requires us to determine the validity of a natural mother s written consent to adoption of her newborn child. Her purported consent was later acknowledged outside her presence by a notary public. The district court held that the adoptive parents substantially complied with the requirements of the consent statute, K.S.A. 59-2114, approved the consent and adoption, and terminated the natural mothers parental rights. The Court of Appeals reversed because of the adoptive parents’ failure to substantially comply with the Uniform…