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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>375303</law_id><section_number>63.2-1216</section_number><catch_line>Final order not subject to attack after six months</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="135" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="4" identifier="12">Adoption</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>After the expiration of six months from the date of entry of any <span class="dictionary">final order</span> of adoption from which no <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> has been taken to the <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of <span class="dictionary">Appeals</span>, the validity thereof shall not be subject to attack in any proceedings, <span class="dictionary">collateral</span> or direct, for any reason, including but not limited to <span class="dictionary">fraud</span>, duress, failure to give any required notice, failure of any procedural requirement, or <span class="dictionary">lack of jurisdiction</span> over any person, and such order shall be final for all purposes.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 63-361; 1954, c. 489; 1968, c. 578, &#xA7; 63.1-237; 1984, c. 703; 1995, cc. 772, 826; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.23; 2002, c. 747.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Mast v. A.A.</name><case_number>240707</case_number><citation></citation><date>2026-02-12</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10789956/mast-v-aa/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. PRESENT: Powell, Kelsey, McCullough, Chafin, Russell, and Mann, JJ., and Millette, S.J. .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>A.A. v. J.M.</name><case_number>0876232</case_number><citation></citation><date>2024-07-16</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10004275/aa-v-jm/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="2"><name>J.M. v. A.A.</name><case_number>1855222</case_number><citation></citation><date>2024-07-16</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10004271/jm-v-aa/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="3"><name>J.M. v. A.A.</name><case_number>0940232</case_number><citation></citation><date>2024-07-16</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10004273/jm-v-aa/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="4"><name>J.M. v. A.A.</name><case_number>0953232</case_number><citation></citation><date>2024-07-16</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10004272/jm-v-aa/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="5"><name> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Shannon Kathleen Smith Hurt Lively v. Paulette Holland Smith .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </name><case_number>1929193</case_number><citation></citation><date>2020-10-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4798219/shannon-kathleen-smith-hurt-lively-v-paulette-holland-smith-and-link/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="6"><name> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. Cathleen Nelson &amp; William Nelson v. Middlesex Dept. of .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </name><case_number>2041172</case_number><citation>820 S.E.2d 400</citation><date>2018-11-20</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4565838/cathleen-nelson-william-nelson-v-middlesex-dept-of-social-services/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="7"><name>Bonanno v. Quinn</name><case_number>200963</case_number><citation></citation><date>2021-05-27</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4886804/bonanno-v-quinn/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. PRESENT: All the Justices .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="8"><name>McCallum v. Salazar</name><case_number>0139061</case_number><citation>636 S.E.2d 486</citation><date>2006-11-07</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1063149/mccallum-v-salazar/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 636 S.E.2d 486 (2006) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
