Campaign: Coming Out Guides
Find community-specific resource guides to coming out and living openly.
Take ActionRhode Island Adoption Law
Permits single LGBT individuals to petition to adopt? Yes.
Rhode Island law permits any individual residing in Rhode Island or a husband and wife to jointly petition to adopt. R.I. GEN. LAWS § 15-7-4(a).
Permits a same-sex couple to jointly petition to adopt? No explicit prohibition.
State law provides that a husband and wife may jointly petition to adopt, and does not explicitly provide for joint adoption by other couples. No state court has heard the issue of whether same-sex couples can or can not jointly petition to adopt. However, joint adoptions by unmarried couples have routinely been allowed at the Family Court level.
Permits a same-sex partner to petition to adopt partner’s child or child of the relationship? No explicit prohibition.
There is no explicit prohibition, and some lower courts have allowed second-parent adoptions to proceed. No state court, however, has heard the issue of whether a same-sex partner can or can not petition to adopt a partner’s child or child of the relationship.
The legal information provided on this page is provided as a courtesy to the public. It is not designed to serve as legal advice. HRC does not warrant that this information is current or comprehensive.
Last Updated: 12/14/2009
Updated: Mon, December 14, 2009 - 12:00:20
