| This is what I know on equitable adoption, hope this helps.
"Equitable adoption" (also called "putative" or "constuctive" adoption) occurs in the situation where a parent makes certain promises or acts in a certain manner so as to create a contract between the parent and child. Equitable adoption occurs without a formal legal procedure, in other words, a parent can say or do certain things that result in the adoption of another person as his/her child even though there is no court order establishing the adoption. For example, a parent could take a minor into his/her home, and act as if s/he is the parent of the child for many years, all without ever going to court to formalize this arrangement. In such a situation there is no court order which formally states that the rights and obligations of the natural parents have been terminated and that the adoptive parents must assume these obligations and rights. Instead of being a matter of law, the principles of equity hold this parent as if s/he had formally adopted the child. |