VPRS 20859 County Court and Court of Petty Sessions, Adoption Case Files, Swan Hill

This series comprises records of adoption cases heard at the County Court and Court of Petty Sessions at Swan Hill Courts (VA 562). See VPRS 20860 for the related adoption register. Researchers should note that in some instances, adoption cases were lodged at one court and then later heard at another, usually at a larger regional court. Often, these cases were re-registered, but this practice does not appear to be consistent. Adoption in Victoria 1929 – 1958 The adoption of children was first regulated by legislation with the commencement of the Adoption of Children Act 1928 (Vic). This Act established adoption as a legal transfer of custody and parental responsibility and gave responsibility for making adoption orders to the courts. Prior to this time, adoptions were informal arrangements often made by private infants’ homes. Under the Act, an adoption application could be heard by the Supreme Court (VA 2549), County Court (VA 686), or Court of Petty Sessions. The choice of court depended upon the circumstances of the case and the wishes of the parties. Adoption cases could be heard at the Court of Petty Sessions closest to where either the applicant(s) or the child resided. The Court could grant an adoption order if several parties gave their written consent to the adoption, namely the child’s natural parent(s) or guardian(s); the person having custody of the child; any person liable to contribute to the support of the child; or where the applicant was married, the applicant’s spouse. If the consent of any of these persons could not be obtained in writing, a higher court had to be used. Should the applicant(s) (i.e., the prospective adoptive parent(s)) choose, the County Court could grant an adoption order in any circumstance. The Supreme Court could grant an adoption order in any circumstance. Adoption in Victoria 1958 - present The passing of the Adoption of Children Act 1958 (Vic) removed the jurisdiction of the Court of Petty Sessions to grant adoption orders. Since that time the County and Supreme Courts have had the power to grant adoption orders, although in practice most have been granted by the County Court. Cases involving interstate and international adoptions are generally handled by the Supreme Court. With the changes brought about by the Adoption of Children Act 1984 (Vic), the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) (VA 983) obtained the original court records, wherever possible, from the Courts to enable them to obtain sufficient information to prepare "birth certificates" containing more information for adopted persons. All records in custody of the courts as of 1 January 1989 therefore came under the management and control of BDM. BDM also provides adoption information to Adoption Information Services from these records. Any records created after that date are still the responsibility of the respective Court as BDM are only able to request a memorandum of the adoption order, rather than the complete file.  Contents Adoption case files include applications for child adoptions, adult adoptions, or substituted parentage. The files generally contain: Adoption orders, adoption certificates Affidavits Birth certificate of child Summonses Guardian's consent for child to be adopted Identification documents Declarations Memoranda and correspondence Medical reports of the adopted child Where no date of adoption order is given, this is generally indicative of the adoption order not being issued. Adopted Children Register Under section 17 (1) of the Adoption of Children Act 1928 and the subsequent adoption acts, the Government Statist was required to establish and maintain an Adopted Children Register (VPRS 11683) in which entries were made as directed by adoption orders (VPRS 11682). All courts were required to inform the Office of the Government Statist and Actuary (VA 989) of adoption orders granted from 1929 to 1983, then BDM from 1983 onwards. Researchers should note that the Adopted Children Registration Number given in the central register (VRPS 11683) does not correspond to the case file number assigned by the court.

本系列档案收录了天鹅山法院（Swan Hill Courts，档案编号VA 562）下属郡法院（County Court）及治安法庭（Court of Petty Sessions）审理的收养案件记录。相关收养登记档案可查阅VPRS 20860。
研究人员需注意：部分收养案件最初由某一法院受理，后续转至另一法院（通常为规模更大的区域法院）审理。此类案件常需重新登记，但该操作并无统一规范。

## 维多利亚州1929年—1958年收养制度
1928年《维多利亚州收养儿童法》（Adoption of Children Act 1928 (Vic)）正式施行后，儿童收养首次被纳入立法监管范畴。该法将收养界定为监护权与父母责任的合法转移，并将作出收养令的职权赋予法院。在此之前，收养多为私人育婴机构主导的非正式安排。
根据该法，收养申请可由最高法院（VA 2549）、郡法院（VA 686）或治安法庭审理。法院的选择取决于案件具体情况及当事人意愿。
收养案件可在距离申请人或儿童住所地最近的治安法庭审理。若以下多方出具收养书面同意书，该法庭即可作出收养令：儿童的生父母或监护人、实际照料儿童的人员、负有儿童抚养义务的人员；若申请人为已婚人士，则还需申请人配偶的同意。
若无法取得上述任一主体的书面同意，则需由上级法院审理。若申请人（即拟收养父母）自愿选择，郡法院可在任何情形下作出收养令；最高法院亦可在任何情形下作出收养令。

## 维多利亚州1958年至今收养制度
1958年《维多利亚州收养儿童法》（Adoption of Children Act 1958 (Vic)）的颁布取消了治安法庭作出收养令的管辖权。自此之后，郡法院与最高法院拥有作出收养令的职权，尽管实践中绝大多数收养令由郡法院作出。涉及跨州及跨国收养的案件通常由最高法院审理。
随着1984年《维多利亚州收养儿童法》（Adoption of Children Act 1984 (Vic)）带来的制度变革，出生、死亡与婚姻登记署（Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages，简称BDM，档案编号VA 983）尽可能从法院获取原始案卷，以收集足够信息为被收养人制备包含更多细节的"birth certificates"。因此，1989年1月1日由法院保管的所有案卷均交由BDM管理与管控。BDM还可通过此类案卷向收养信息服务机构提供收养相关信息。
1989年1月1日之后形成的案卷仍由对应法院保管，因BDM仅可申请获取收养令备忘录，而非完整案卷。

## 案卷内容
收养案件案卷涵盖儿童收养、成人收养或替代亲权的申请。案卷通常包含以下材料：
收养令、收养证书、宣誓书、儿童出生证明、传票、儿童收养监护人同意书、身份证明文件、声明书、备忘录与往来函件、被收养儿童的医疗报告。
若案卷未注明收养令作出日期，通常意味着该收养令尚未签发。

## 被收养儿童登记册
根据1928年《收养儿童法》第17条第1款及后续收养相关法案，政府统计官需设立并维护被收养儿童登记册（Adopted Children Register，档案编号VPRS 11683），并依据收养令（档案编号VPRS 11682）的要求完成登记条目。1929年至1983年间，所有法院需将作出的收养令通报给政府统计与法务署（Office of the Government Statist and Actuary，档案编号VA 989）；1983年起，则通报给BDM。研究人员需注意：中央登记册（档案编号VPRS 11683）中的被收养儿童登记编号，与法院分配的案件案卷编号并不一致。