Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 710 / Act 288 of 1939
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 710.21a (2026)

General purposes of chapter.

✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MI-LEGlegislature.mi.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

PROBATE CODE OF 1939


Act 288 of 1939


710.21a General purposes of chapter.

Sec. 21a.

    The general purposes of this chapter are:

    (a) To provide that each adoptee in this state who needs adoption services receives those services.

    (b) To provide procedures and services that will safeguard and promote the best interests of each adoptee in need of adoption and that will protect the rights of all parties concerned. If conflicts arise between the rights of the adoptee and the rights of another, the rights of the adoptee shall be paramount.

    (c) To provide prompt legal proceedings to assure that the adoptee is free for adoptive placement at the earliest possible time.

    (d) To achieve permanency and stability for adoptees as quickly as possible.

    (e) To support the permanency of a finalized adoption by allowing all interested parties to participate in proceedings regarding the adoptee.

History: Add. 1982, Act 72, Imd. Eff. Apr. 14, 1982 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 487, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2004

PopularName Notes:

Probate Code
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 23 cases, 1985–2019 · leading case: In Re Mkk, 781 N.W.2d 132 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
In Re Mkk, 781 N.W.2d 132 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “Petitioners and Keilman responded that the results of the DNA testing were irrelevant to the adoption proceedings and those proceedings had priority over respondent’s paternity case pursuant to MCL 710.21a, which lists the general purposes of the Adoption Code, and MCL 710.”
In re ASF, 876 N.W.2d 253 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 3× “MCL 710.21a. The best interests of the adoptee are the overriding concern, and “[i]f conflicts arise between the rights of the adoptee and the rights of another, the rights of the adoptee shall be paramount.”
Bates v. Sanchez, 375 N.W.2d 353 (Mich. 1985). · cites it 6× “[MCL 710.21a; MSA 27.3178(555.21a).] The concern for procedural fairness to noncustodial parents is also evidenced by the requirements for service, MCL 710.”
In re AJR, 852 N.W.2d 760 (Mich. 2014). · cites it 2× “REMEDY In light of our holdings, we now address “what, if any, remedy is available to the petitioners in this case that is consistent with the general purposes of the Adoption Code, MCL 710.21a.” 36 Under the Child Custody Act, the court may “[m]odify or amend its previous…”
In Re Rff, 617 N.W.2d 745 (Mich. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “[MCL 710.21a; MSA 21.3178(555.21a) (emphasis added).”
In re MGR, 928 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 2019). · cites it 7× “MCL 710.21a and MCL 710.25(2). And a trial court has the inherent authority to control the progress of a case.”
In Re Lang, 600 N.W.2d 646 (Mich. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 2× “MCL 710.21a; MSA 27.3178(555.21a); In re Barlow, supra at 228-229 .”
In re MGR, 916 N.W.2d 662 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “See, generally, MCL 710.21a. For one, that argument is contradicted by this Court's decision in In re MKK , 286 Mich.”
In Re Koroly, 377 N.W.2d 346 (Mich. Ct. App. 1985). · cites it 2× “I would hold that, in deciding a § 64 request for rehearing under the Michigan Adoption Code, the probate court should, at a minimum, consider on the record the best interests of the child or adoptee. The Michigan Legislature expressly announced in § 21a of the Adoption Code…”
in Re Mgr (Mich. 2019). · cites it 7× “MCL 710.21a and MCL 710.25(2). And a trial court has the inherent authority to control the progress of a case.”
People v. Keane, 373 N.W.2d 228 (Mich. Ct. App. 1985). “One of the stated purposes of our Legislature in adopting the Michigan Adoption Code is set forth in § 21a of the statute, MCL 710.21a; MSA 27.3178(555.21a): "Ob) To provide procedures and services which will safeguard and promote the best interests of each adoptee in need of…”
in Re Williams Minors (Mich. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “BEST INTERESTS HAW, the Tribe, and the lawyer-guardian ad litem all argue on appeal that, even if the withdrawal of consent by HAW and the Tribe should have had no effect on the order placing the children, the Oakland Circuit Court nevertheless properly denied the petition to…”
Show all 23 citing cases →
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 710.21a(b) — 15 cases
In Re Mkk, 781 N.W.2d 132 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009). “Petitioners and Keilman responded that the results of the DNA testing were irrelevant to the adoption proceedings and those proceedings had priority over respondent’s paternity case pursuant to MCL 710.21a, which lists the general purposes of the Adoption Code, and MCL 710.”
In re ASF, 876 N.W.2d 253 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “MCL 710.21a. The best interests of the adoptee are the overriding concern, and “[i]f conflicts arise between the rights of the adoptee and the rights of another, the rights of the adoptee shall be paramount.”
In re AJR, 852 N.W.2d 760 (Mich. 2014). “REMEDY In light of our holdings, we now address “what, if any, remedy is available to the petitioners in this case that is consistent with the general purposes of the Adoption Code, MCL 710.21a.” 36 Under the Child Custody Act, the court may “[m]odify or amend its previous…”
Bates v. Sanchez, 375 N.W.2d 353 (Mich. 1985). “[MCL 710.21a; MSA 27.3178(555.21a).] The concern for procedural fairness to noncustodial parents is also evidenced by the requirements for service, MCL 710.”
In Re Lang, 600 N.W.2d 646 (Mich. Ct. App. 1999). “MCL 710.21a; MSA 27.3178(555.21a); In re Barlow, supra at 228-229 .”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 710.21a(c) — 4 cases
In Re Mkk, 781 N.W.2d 132 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009). “Petitioners and Keilman responded that the results of the DNA testing were irrelevant to the adoption proceedings and those proceedings had priority over respondent’s paternity case pursuant to MCL 710.21a, which lists the general purposes of the Adoption Code, and MCL 710.”
In re MGR, 928 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 2019). “MCL 710.21a and MCL 710.25(2). And a trial court has the inherent authority to control the progress of a case.”
in Re Mgr (Mich. 2019). “MCL 710.21a and MCL 710.25(2). And a trial court has the inherent authority to control the progress of a case.”
In Re Schang, 663 N.W.2d 476 (Mich. 2003).
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 710.21a(e) — 2 cases
In re ASF, 876 N.W.2d 253 (Mich. Ct. App. 2015). “MCL 710.21a. The best interests of the adoptee are the overriding concern, and “[i]f conflicts arise between the rights of the adoptee and the rights of another, the rights of the adoptee shall be paramount.”
in Re Asf Minor (Mich. Ct. App. 2015).
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.