Sec. 25.23.130. Effect of adoption decree; effect of termination of parental rights.

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(a)A final decree of adoption, whether issued by a court of this state or of any other state, has the following effect as to matters within the jurisdiction or before a court of this state:

(1)except with respect to a spouse of the petitioner and relatives of the spouse, to relieve the natural parents of the adopted person of all parental rights and responsibilities, and, except as provided in

(c)of this section, to terminate all legal relationships between the adopted person and the natural parents and other relatives of the adopted person, so that the adopted person thereafter is a stranger to the former relatives for all purposes including inheritance, unless the decree of adoption specifically provides for continuation of inheritance rights, and the interpretation or construction of documents, statutes, and instruments, whether executed before or after the adoption is decreed, that do not expressly include the person by name or by some designation not based on a parent and child or blood relationship; and

(2)to create the relationship of parent and child between petitioner and the adopted person, as if the adopted person were a legitimate blood descendant of the petitioner, for all purposes including inheritance and applicability of statutes, documents, and instruments, whether executed before or after the adoption is decreed, that do not expressly exclude an adopted person from their operation or effect.

(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of

(a)of this section, if a parent of a child dies without the relationship of parent and child having been previously terminated and a spouse of the living parent thereafter adopts the child, the child's right of inheritance from or through the deceased parent is unaffected by the adoption.

(c)Nothing in this chapter prohibits an adoption that allows visitation between the adopted person and that person's natural parents or other relatives.

(d)Except as provided in

(e)and

(f)of this section, a decree terminating parental rights on the grounds set out in AS 25.23.180 (c)(2) voids all legal relationships between the child and the biological parent so that the child is a stranger to the biological parent and to relatives of the biological parent for all purposes, including interpretation of documents executed before or after the termination of parental rights that do not include the child by name or by a description not based on a parental or blood relationship.

(e)Inheritance rights between a child and a biological parent are not voided by a decree terminating parental rights on the grounds set out in AS 25.23.180 (c)(2) unless the decree specifically provides for the termination of inheritance rights.

(f)A decree ordering termination of parental rights between a biological parent and a child on the grounds specified in AS 25.23.180 (c)(2) does not relieve the biological parent of an obligation to pay child support unless the decree specifically provides for the termination of the obligation to pay child support. A child support obligation under this subsection does not entitle the obligor to contact or otherwise maintain a relationship with the child.