1.   An appeals judge asked if any Missouri law required judges to approve private adoptions in which the mother chooses who will adopt.

2.   At the beginning of September, though, they got a call about a private adoption.

3.   But private international adoptions fail at rates similar to state placements, said Pavao, particularly when children come from orphanages or war-torn countries.

4.   If you choose the private adoption route, the main caveat is to do your homework and track the process closely.

5.   In January, they turned to an agency that handles both private adoptions and adoptions through the state Department of Economic Security.

6.   Many private adoption agencies take a different approach.

7.   Private adoptions would not be affected, but thousands of children at risk could be.

8.   She signed up with a private adoption agency near her home in Alexandria, Va.

9.   We were on the list at an adoption agency and had refused to consider private adoption.

10.   But at a joint news conference, the adoption advocates said the bill would only put private adoption agencies in legal limbo.