With its decision no. 4689/2025, the Athens Court of First Instance accepted the request of my clients, residents of South Africa, for the recognition of the adoption of their son, which they had proceeded with while still in a civil partnership.

With this decision, the court confirms previous case law, according to which the joint adoption of a minor by parties to a civil partnership agreement is not contrary to Greek law, even though our country only allows adoption by married couples and not by registered partners. In fact, with this decision, the Court goes one step further and rules that adoption by partners who, at the time of adoption, had not yet entered into a civil partnership should also be recognized in Greece for reasons relating to the best interests of the child. The court placed particular emphasis on the social investigation carried out prior to the adoption in South Africa and the existence of property rights of the child’s Greek adoptive parent in Greece. Furthermore, this apparent stance in case law could reignite the debate on whether, following the introduction of the possibility for same-sex couples to jointly adopt as married couples, this could also be permitted by law for parties to a civil partnership.