{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-2002/section-48",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-2002/section-48.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2002/38",
  "legislation_title": "Adoption and Children Act 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/adoption-and-children-act-2002",
  "path": "section/48",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "48",
  "heading": "Restrictions on making adoption orders",
  "text": "(1) The court may not hear an application for an adoption order in relation to a child, where a previous application to which subsection (2) applies made in relation to the child by the same persons was refused by any court, unless it appears to the court that, because of a change in circumstances or for any other reason, it is proper to hear the application.\n(2) This subsection applies to any application—\n(a) for an adoption order or a Scottish or Northern Irish adoption order, or\n(b) for an order for adoption made in the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 48 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2010) by The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Parental Orders) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/985), regs. 1(1), 2, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 48(1) applied (with modifications) (30.12.2005) by The Adoptions with a Foreign Element Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/392), regs. 1(1), 11(1)(m), 52, 55"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 48 in force at 30.12.2005 by S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(c) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2005/2897, arts. 3-16)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/section/48",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:18:55.944329+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}