October 5, 2026

Originally, adoptions in Los Angeles County were handled in the 12 divisional courts of the county. For example, if you lived in the San Fernando Valley, you'd file your Petition for Adoption and related documents in the Van Nuys courthouse. Now, however, all adoptions are handled in one specific courthouse, the Edmund E. Edelman Children's Court, located at 201 Centre Plaza Drive
Monterey Park, CA 91754.

Even though the courthouse title is Children's Court, adult adoptions are done here as well. This is the courthouse for the initial filing of documents, all the way through the final hearing. There is a small filing fee of $20 for most types of adoptions.

The time from start to finish will depend upon the type of adoption you have and the skill of your lawyer. Adult adoptions are the fastest due to the fact there is no home study required of the adopting parent, so there is no delay waiting for that to be done. Also, parental consent is not required, which can cause delays in the adoption of minors.

For an adult adoption, the usual start-to-finish time with a good adoption attorney handling your case is usually 3-6 weeks. At the Adult Adoption Center, we are happy to help you complete your adult adoption quickly and affordably.