National Adoption Day is Saturday, Nov. 20, and Maryland’s courts will take part in celebrations throughout the week and beyond. By noon on Saturday, after court proceedings that they say provide some of the courts’ most joyful moments, judges in circuit courts throughout the state will have helped dozens of children become members of permanent families. Following many of the adoptions, receptions will be held to honor the new families.

National Adoption Day was established to raise awareness that there are 123,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. Throughout the U.S. during last year’s National Adoption Day event, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies, and advocates helped to finalize the adoptions of thousands of children from foster care while celebrating all adoptive families.

National Adoption Day activities in Maryland Circuit Courts include:

Anne Arundel County
The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County will hold its fourth annual National Adoption Day on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 9 a.m. in the courthouse, 7 Church Circle, Annapolis. Judge Michael Wachs will preside in Courtroom 4C as 11 children, ranging in age from less than one-year-old to 13, will become permanent members of their new families. Local dignitaries have been invited to attend.

Baltimore City
In Baltimore, approximately 40 children also will become members of their new families on Saturday, Nov. 20. Baltimore Circuit Court Administrative Judge Marcella A. Holland, Judge Yvette M. Bryant, and Judge Edward R.K. Hargadon will preside together over the adoptions at 10 a.m. in the Ceremonial Courtroom in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., Courthouse, 100 N. Calvert St., Baltimore. After the adoptions are finalized, the new families will celebrate together at a reception featuring face painters, a balloon artist, and arts and crafts activities. The newly adopted children will receive personalized gift bags with gifts for their siblings, as well. Baltimore’s event has been coordinated with the Bar Association of Baltimore City, with support from the Baltimore City Department of Social Services.

Baltimore County
On Saturday, Nov. 20, Baltimore County Circuit Judge, and adoptive parent, Sherrie R. Bailey will preside over almost a dozen adoptions in the Old Courthouse Ceremonial Courtroom, 400 Washington Ave., Towson. The event will begin at 11 a.m. The keynote speaker is Tiffany Franc, who was in the Baltimore County Department of Social Services foster care system and adopted by her foster family, and is now a practicing attorney at a Towson law firm. Immediately afterwards, the new families will celebrate together at a luncheon. The Baltimore County activities have been organized with the Baltimore County Bar Association and the Baltimore County Department of Social Services.

Montgomery County
The Circuit Court for Montgomery County will celebrate National Adoption Day on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 10 a.m. in the Ceremonial Courtroom, 50 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Judge Cynthia Callahan, Judge Richard E. Jordan, Judge Cheryl A. McCally, and Judge Katherine D. Savage will preside jointly over the finalization of adoptions for 13 children within nine families. The keynote speaker will be Oronde Miller, chief of staff at the Maryland Department of Human Resources. The families will then celebrate at a reception hosted by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.

Prince George’s County
The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County will help adoptive parents welcome 13 children into their families during its National Adoption Day event on Thursday, Nov. 18, in the Prince George’s County Court House, Room M3400, 14735 Main St., Upper Marlboro. Administrative Judge for the Seventh Circuit Sheila R. Tillerson Adams, Judge Melanie Shaw Geter, Judge Larnzell Martin, Jr., and Judge Beverly J. Woodard (an adoptive parent herself) will preside over the adoption proceedings at 10:30 a.m. The children and their families will then take part in a reception hosted by the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services.

St. Mary’s County
The Department of Social Services in St. Mary's County plans to present four children's adoption cases on Tuesday, Dec. 14, before Judge Karen H. Abrams. The proceedings will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the courthouse, 41605 Courthouse Dr., Leonardtown. Flowers will be presented to the adoptive families, and photographs will be taken of new families with Judge Abrams. After the court proceedings, new families will celebrate at a pizza party at a local eatery. “Alumni” families of all children adopted through the Department of Social Services, as well as attorneys and court officials, have also been invited to join in.

CONTACT: For more information about any of these events, call the Maryland Judiciary Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (410) 260-1488.

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