Petition of Nearhoof

McHUGH, Justice:

This action is before this Court upon a certified question from the Circuit Court of Kanawha County. This action concerns whether the adoption statute, W.Va.Code, 48-4-1, et seq., as amended, precludes granting grandparents’ visitation rights when the mother of a child is deceased and the natural father’s second wife seeks to adopt the child. This Court has before it the petition for appeal, all matters of record and briefs and argument of counsel.

The appellant in this case is Sharon K. Nearhoof, the second wife of the child’s natural father. She is seeking to legally adopt…