Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Adoption Act 1955

Miscellaneous

27: Offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking adoption rules is against the law"

Illustration for Adoption Act 1955

If you do certain things, you commit an offence against this section. You do this if you place or receive a child in a home for adoption in a way that breaks the rules in section 6. You also commit an offence if you take a child out of New Zealand without the court's permission when an interim order is in place.

If you are given an interim order, you must tell the court if you move to a new house, as required by section 15. You commit an offence if you give or receive money for an adoption in a way that breaks the rules in section 25. You also commit an offence if you publish an advertisement that breaks the rules in section 26, or if you make a false statement to get or stop an adoption order.

If you commit one of these offences, you can be taken to the District Court and punished with up to three months in prison, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM293334.

Topics:
Family and relationships > Adoption and guardianshipCrime and justice > Criminal law
Previous

26: Restriction upon advertisements, or

"Rules about advertising when someone wants to adopt a child"

Next

27A: Offence to induce consent, or

"It's a crime to trick or force someone into agreeing to an adoption"

27 Offences

  1. Every person commits an offence against this section who—

  2. places or receives or keeps any child in the home of any person for the purpose of adoption in contravention of section 6:
    1. takes out of New Zealand without leave of the court any child in respect of whom an interim order is in force:
      1. being a person in whose favour an interim order has been made, fails to give any notice of change of residence required by paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 15:
        1. gives or receives or agrees to give or receive any payment in contravention of section 25:
          1. publishes any advertisement in contravention of section 26:
            1. makes any false statement for the purpose of obtaining or opposing an interim order or adoption order or any variation or discharge of any such order.

              1. Every person who commits an offence against this section shall be liable on conviction before a District Court Judge to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $15,000 or to both.

              2. Repealed
              Notes
              • Section 27 heading: amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
              • Section 27(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
              • Section 27(2): amended, on , by section 28 of the Adoption (Intercountry) Act 1997 (1997 No 109).
              • Section 27(3): repealed, on , by section 5(2) of the Adoption Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 60).