Indiana Code

Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5 (2026)

Agency report and recommendation; filing requirements; waiver of report

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section JustiaInd. Code CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

     Sec. 5. (a) Except as provided in subsection (c), not more than sixty (60) days from the date of reference of a petition for adoption to each appropriate agency:

(1) each licensed child placing agency, for a child who is not adjudicated to be a child in need of services; or

(2) if the child is the subject of an open child in need of services action, each local office;

shall submit to the court a written report of the investigation and recommendation as to the advisability of the adoption.

     (b) The report and recommendation:

(1) shall be filed with the adoption proceedings; and

(2) become a part of the proceedings.

     (c) A court hearing a petition for adoption of a child may waive the report required under subsection (a) if one (1) of the petitioners is a stepparent or grandparent of the child and the court waives the period of supervision.

     (d) If the court waives the reports required under subsection (a), the court shall require the licensed child placing agency for a child who is not adjudicated to be a child in need of services or, if the child is the subject of an open child in need of services action, each local office to:

(1) ensure a criminal history check is conducted under IC 31-19-2-7.5; and

(2) report to the court the results of the criminal history check.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-3-1-4(d).]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.138-2007, SEC.40; P.L.131-2009, SEC.18; P.L.128-2012, SEC.52.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 17 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2001–2024 · leading case: Jason & Justina Kramer v. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Inc., 32 N.E.3d 227 (Ind. 2015).
Jason & Justina Kramer v. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Inc., 32 N.E.3d 227 (Ind. 2015). · cites it 4× “12 § 31-19-7-1 (2008), Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5 (Supp. 2014) and 465 Ind.”
In Re: the Adoption of S.O., A.O., & N.O., P.P. v. A.O., 56 N.E.3d 77 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 4× “- Although the supervisory period and report can be waived for stepparents or grandparents, I.C. § 31-19-8-5(c), exercising that waiver then obligates the court to order an agency to conduct a criminal history check and complete a report.”
Adoption of N.W.R. M.R. v. R.B. & R.B., & Indiana Dept. of Child Servs., 971 N.E.2d 110 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 5× “See Ind.Code § 31-19-8-5 (requiring county DCS to file report of its investigation and recommendation as to adoption petition regarding adoption of a child in need of services).”
S. R. v. M. J., 71 N.E.3d 436 (Ind. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “On April 7, 2015, Stepmother filed a home study with the adoption court in accordance with Indiana Code section 31-19-8-5. The home study was completed by Terrence Lovejoy (Lovejoy), a social worker with the Children’s Bureau, Inc.”
In Re Adoption of MAS, 815 N.E.2d 216 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004). “Ind.Code 31-19-8-5 (1998) provides: (a) Not more than sixty (60) days from the date of reference of a petition for adoption to each appropriate agency, each agency shall submit to the court a written report of and the agency's investigation recommendation as to the advisability…”
In Re the Adoption of M.P.S., Jr. A.S. v. M.P.S., Sr., M.S., & An.S., 963 N.E.2d 625 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “Indiana Code Section 31-19-8-5 provides that a court may waive a home study report if a petitioner for adoption is a stepparent or grandparent and the court has waived the period of supervision.”
G.S. v. T.K. (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 8× “rather than ordering the complete criminal-history report required by Indiana Code section 31-19-8-5(d). We vacate and remand to the trial court for reconsideration in light of a complete background check.”
In Re the Adoption of L.J. & E.J., minors, Crystal Satter v. Jason James & Jennifer James (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 6× “However, pursuant to Indiana Code section 31-19-8-5(d), if the adoption court waives that period of supervision and the following report, Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 64A03-1608-AD-1886 | May 16, 2017 Page 10 of 12 the adoption court “shall require” the…”
T.M. v. L.D. & J.D. (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 4× “The plain language of Indiana Code Section 31-19-8-5 requires a report from a child placing agency or the DCS.”
M B v. A S (Ind. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “See Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5 (d). Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 24A-AD-1885 | December 26, 2024 Page 6 of 7 A.”
Wachowski v. Beke, 756 N.E.2d 990 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001). “§ 31-19-8-5 requires a "putative father who files a paternity action as described by I.”
In Re Adoption of MPS, Jr., 963 N.E.2d 625 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “Indiana Code Section 31-19-8-5 provides that a court may waive a home study report if a petitioner for adoption is a step-parent or grandparent and the court has waived the period of supervision.”
Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5(a): 1 case
T.M. v. L.D. & J.D. (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2018). “The plain language of Indiana Code Section 31-19-8-5 requires a report from a child placing agency or the DCS.”
Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5(c): 2 cases
In Re: the Adoption of S.O., A.O., & N.O., P.P. v. A.O., 56 N.E.3d 77 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016). “- Although the supervisory period and report can be waived for stepparents or grandparents, I.C. § 31-19-8-5(c), exercising that waiver then obligates the court to order an agency to conduct a criminal history check and complete a report.”
Ind. Code § 31-19-8-5(d): 5 cases
In Re: the Adoption of S.O., A.O., & N.O., P.P. v. A.O., 56 N.E.3d 77 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016). “- Although the supervisory period and report can be waived for stepparents or grandparents, I.C. § 31-19-8-5(c), exercising that waiver then obligates the court to order an agency to conduct a criminal history check and complete a report.”
G.S. v. T.K. (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2016). “rather than ordering the complete criminal-history report required by Indiana Code section 31-19-8-5(d). We vacate and remand to the trial court for reconsideration in light of a complete background check.”
In Re the Adoption of L.J. & E.J., minors, Crystal Satter v. Jason James & Jennifer James (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2017). “However, pursuant to Indiana Code section 31-19-8-5(d), if the adoption court waives that period of supervision and the following report, Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 64A03-1608-AD-1886 | May 16, 2017 Page 10 of 12 the adoption court “shall require” the…”
CS v. JJ (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2017).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.