Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (2026)

Effect of adoption on relationship

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) The signing of a final order of adoption terminates any existing guardianship orders and establishes from that date the relationship of parent and child between the adoptive parent or parents and the adopted child as if the adopted child had been born to the adoptive parent or parents and the adopted child shall be deemed the lawful child of such parent or parents, the same as if the child had been born to the parent or parents, for all legal consequences and incidents of the biological relation of parents and children.

(b) The adopted child and the child's descendants shall be capable of inheriting and otherwise receiving title to real and personal property from the adoptive parents and their descendants, and of succeeding to the rights of either such parent or such parent's descendants in such property, whether created by will, by other instrument or by law, including, but not limited to, taking as a beneficiary of a remainder interest following a life interest or estate in either such parent or such parent's ancestor or descendant. The adopted child shall have the same such rights as to lineal and collateral kindred of either adoptive parent and the ancestors or descendants of such kindred, as the adoptive child has as to such parent, and the lineal and collateral kindred of either adoptive parent and the descendants of such kindred shall have the same such rights as to the adopted child and the child's descendants, but only as to property of the adopted child acquired after the child's adoption.

(c) In the construction of any instrument, whether will, deed, or otherwise, whether executed before or after August 24, 1995, and whether the testator or other party creating an interest by such instrument died before or after August 24, 1995, or before or after an adoption, a child so adopted and the descendants of such child are deemed included within the class created by any limitation contained in such instrument restricting a devise, bequest or conveyance to the lawful heirs, issue, children, descendants, or the like, as the case may be, of the adoptive parent, or of an ancestor or descendant of one (1) of them, and such adopted child shall be treated as a member of such class unless a contrary intention clearly shall appear by the terms of such instrument or unless the particular estate so limited shall have vested in interest and in possession in and as to the person or persons entitled thereto on August 24, 1995; provided, that this sentence shall not apply in the construction of any instrument as to any child who is over twenty-one (21) years of age at the time of such child's adoption.

(d) "Contrary intention clearly shall appear," as set forth in this section, shall not be found by any court to exist by use in such instrument of such terms as "issue," "children" or similar legal terms, unless the instrument specifically states that adopted children are to be excluded from such class.

(e) An adopted child shall not inherit real or personal property from a biological parent or relative thereof when the relationship between them has been terminated by final order of adoption, nor shall such biological parent or relative thereof inherit from the adopted child. Notwithstanding subsection (a), if a parent of a child dies without the relationship of parent and child having been previously terminated and any other person thereafter adopts the child, the child's right of inheritance from or through the deceased biological parent or any relative thereof shall be unaffected by the adoption.

(f) A final order of adoption of a child cannot require the adoptive parent to permit visitation by any other person, nor can the final order of adoption place any conditions on the adoption of the child by the adoptive parent. This statute does not prohibit the entry of an order enforcing or modifying a contract for post-adoption contact pursuant to § 36-1-145.

(g) The adoption of a child shall have no effect upon arrearages owed by an obligor of child support for that child that existed prior to the termination of parental rights or to that child's adoption and that are owed by an obligor to any person or any governmental agency, nor shall it affect any other financial obligations of a person that may be related to the care of the adopted child prior to a surrender, termination of parental rights, or adoption involving that child.

Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 35, s 1, eff. 3/22/2019.

Acts 1951, ch. 202, § 23 (Williams, § 9572.37); Acts 1955, ch. 302, §§ 1, 2; 1957, ch. 345, § 1; 1968, ch. 406, § 1; 1976, ch. 751, § 1; 1983, ch. 432, §§ 1-4; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-126; Acts 1992, ch. 994, § 4; 1995, ch. 532, § 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 33 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1999–2025 · leading case: Neal Lovlace v. Timothy Kevin Copley, 418 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2013).

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Neal Lovlace v. Timothy Kevin Copley, 418 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2013). · cites it 5× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f) (“Adoption Statute”).”

Snodgrass v. Snodgrass, 295 S.W.3d 240 (Tenn. 2009). · cites it 2× “Interpretation of Section 36-1-121(b)(1)(B) The disposition of this issue depends upon our interpretation of the governing statute, particularly the last eight words.”

Crystal BLACKWELL, as Next Friend to Jacob Blackwell, a Minor v. SKY HIGH SPORTS NASHVILLE OPERATIONS, LLC, 523 S.W.3d 624 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f) (“Any provision in an order of .”

McGarity v. Jerrolds, 429 S.W.3d 562 (Tenn. 2013). “§ 36-6-306(d)(1) ("Notwithstanding the provisions of § 36-1-121, if a relative or stepparent adopts a child, tire provisions of this section [e.”

Smallwood v. Mann, 205 S.W.3d 358 (Tenn. 2006). “(d)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 36-1-121, if a relative or stepparent adopts a child, the provisions of this section apply.”

Natasha S. v. Madison M. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 10× “In asserting that Grandmother’s visitation rights as set forth in the agreed order ended with the adoption, Adoptive Parents cite Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f). When the trial court entered the agreed order, Tenn.”

In Re M.L.S. (2020). · cites it 6× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f) (2015). Citing this section, the trial court “partially dismissed” the petition to enforce visitation.”

In Re Carlee A. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 6× “As for the merits of the dismissal, the appellees argue that the circuit court was correct in its application of Tennessee Code Annotated section 36-1-121. However, the appellees alternatively argue that the Smiths’ claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress was…”

Neal Lovlace & Norma Jean Lovlace v. Timothy Kevin Copley & Beth Copley (Tenn. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 7× “, § 36-1-121), if a relative or stepparent adopts the child, then the Grandparent Visitation Statute, as opposed to the adoption statute, is the controlling statute.”

In Re: The Est. of Louise J. Aslinger (Tenn. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 4× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (a) (providing that the signing of a final order of adoption establishes a parent-child relationship as if the child had been born to the adoptive parent); Tenn.”

In Re Adoption of M.L.S. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 4× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (2015). Additionally, Grandparents contended that Aunt and Uncle had actual notice of the adoption based on Aunt’s comment on a social media post referencing the adoption.”

In Re Est. of Richard Douglas Roberson (Tenn. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 4× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (e) (“An adopted child shall not inherit real or personal property from a biological parent or relative thereof when the relationship between them has been terminated by final order of adoption.”

Show all 33 citing cases →

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121(b)(1)(B) — 1 case

Snodgrass v. Snodgrass, 295 S.W.3d 240 (Tenn. 2009). “Interpretation of Section 36-1-121(b)(1)(B) The disposition of this issue depends upon our interpretation of the governing statute, particularly the last eight words.”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121(f) — 5 cases

Neal Lovlace v. Timothy Kevin Copley, 418 S.W.3d 1 (Tenn. 2013). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f) (“Adoption Statute”).”

In Re Carlee A. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2022). “As for the merits of the dismissal, the appellees argue that the circuit court was correct in its application of Tennessee Code Annotated section 36-1-121. However, the appellees alternatively argue that the Smiths’ claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress was…”

Neal Lovlace & Norma Jean Lovlace v. Timothy Kevin Copley & Beth Copley (Tenn. Ct. App. 2012). “, § 36-1-121), if a relative or stepparent adopts the child, then the Grandparent Visitation Statute, as opposed to the adoption statute, is the controlling statute.”

In Re Adoption of M.L.S. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2020). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (2015). Additionally, Grandparents contended that Aunt and Uncle had actual notice of the adoption based on Aunt’s comment on a social media post referencing the adoption.”

In Re M.L.S. (2020). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-121 (f) (2015). Citing this section, the trial court “partially dismissed” the petition to enforce visitation.”

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