Rule 5. Venue

(a) Venue. Except as provided in subsection (d),

adoption proceedings must be brought in superior court in the

judicial district or venue district in which, at the time of filing

the petition, the petitioner or the person to be adopted resides

or is in military service, or in which the agency having the

care, custody, or control of the person to be adopted is located.

(b) Change of Venue. Venue may be changed in the

interest of substantial justice pursuant to AS 22.10.040 after a

petition is filed.

(c) Venue Districts. Venue districts as used in this rule

refer to the districts referenced in the Venue District Map

attached to Criminal Rule 18.

(d) Venue for Proceedings Involving a Child in State

Custody. A petition to adopt a child in state custody under AS

47.10 must be brought in the superior court where the child-in-

need-of-aid proceeding is pending or in the judicial district in

which the petitioner resides as provided under AS 47.10.111

and AS 25.23.030(d).

Note: Chapter 6, 4SSLA 2016 (HB 200) enacted changes to

the procedures for adopting or becoming the guardian of a

child in state custody. Section 14 of the Act amended Adoption

Rule 5, effective January 1, 2017, by adding a new subsection

addressing where to file an adoption petition when the child is

in state custody. This rule change is adopted for the sole reason

that the legislature has mandated the amendment.