The Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Adoption

Through his publicist, Brad Pitt has officially announced that he has filed a petition formally in Los Angeles to add his surname to Angelina Jolie’s adopted children’s names, the end result of which the children’s surnames will become Jolie-Pitt.

Although most of the press believe that this action is an adoption, or, even better, a silent announcement of impending nuptials, a person working in juvenile and family law for 18 years, begs to disagree. “A name change does not require an adoption, [nor does it] confer any legal rights to the child, nor does it obligate the person.”

Brad Pitt, if he had been allowed by Angelina Jolie to adopt her children, would have found it easier to do so after marriage. As pointed out by David Baum, president of the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers, adoption by a stepparent is far easier than by a co-parent or second parent. The fees for the latter are higher and the home study by the social worker will be longer and more exacting.

Moreover, it would have been far simpler for Brad Pitt to just be a co-parent, wherein for the duration of their stay together, Pitt could have chosen to help out in the care and support of the two children, but need not necessarily do so during and after their relationship.

So what’s the name change all about?

From the legal ramifications of the name change, and the fact that the official announcement does not mention any adoption at all, the implication that comes to mind is that Angelina Jolie’s first priority is her children, and, as of the moment, she does not want to confer any legal rights to her children to anybody else except herself.

And Brad Pitt understands this. However, he still wants to be tied to her in some way, and Angelina Jolie has graciously allowed him to do so by means of the name change. But, until such time she feels that it is in her children’s best interests, there will be no adoption or marriage, even with her pregnancy with Brad Pitt’s child.

From Angelina’s strong statements regarding adoption, her two children will probably be just the first in a series of adoptions, like what Mia Farrow has done, having 14 children, several of whom are adopted and have special needs. Angelina and Mia are even both involved and are passionately engaged in humanitarian efforts.

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