Madonna Adoption Rule On Friday

Pop Star Madonna appealed against the earlier decision of court where she could not adopt chifundo "Mercy" James,four.

Madonna will find out on Friday whether she can adopt a second child from Malawi, her lawyer has said.

Alan Chinula confirmed the country's highest court will announce its decision at 9am.

The pop star appealed after a lower court ruled in May that she could not adopt Mercy James because she had not lived in Malawi.

The African nation requires prospective parents to live there for 18 to 24 months while child welfare authorities assess their suitability.

But the rules were bent when Madonna adopted her son David Banda in 2006, the court said.

She first met Mercy in an orphanage in the same year.

Reports have suggested the appeal judges will allow the singer to adopt the three-year-old girl.

Madonna, who has two other children, Lourdes, 12, and eight-year-old Rocco, launched a charm offensive after her initial application was refused.

She told the Nation newspaper in Malawi: "I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible."

She added: "It's my hope that she, like David, will one day return to Malawi and help the people of their country."

Madonna has founded a charity, Raising Malawi, which helps to feed, educate and provide medical care for some of the country's one million orphans, half of whom have lost parents to Aids.

She resumes her record-breaking Sticky & Sweet tour in London on July 4.

Malawi's highest court decision will announce on Friday whether Madonna can adopt the second child from the country.In April, adoption was ruled out by a judge who said prospective parents must be resident in Malawi for 18 months.



The rule was waived in 2006 when Madonna adopted a boy, David, from the southern African state.

A spokesman for the court said the ruling would be made at 0900 local time (0800 BST).

The child has been living in an orphanage since her 18-year-old mother died shortly after giving birth.

Madonna's appeal proceedings began on 4 May and were adjourned on the same day.

The 50-year-old entertainer also has two biological children - Lourdes, now 12, and Rocco, aged eight.

The court declined the application in April

Malawi’s highest court will announce on Friday morning whether pop star Madonna can adopt a second child from the country, her lawyer has said.

She is appealing against an earlier decision that she could not adopt Chifundo “Mercy” James, four.

In April, adoption was ruled out by a judge who said prospective parents must be resident in Malawi for 18 months.

The rule was waived in 2006 when Madonna adopted a boy, David, from the southern African state.

The singer’s lawyer, Alan Chinula, said the ruling would be issued at 0900 local time (1000 BST).

The child has been living in an orphanage since her 18-year-old mother died shortly after giving birth.

Madonna’s appeal proceedings began on 4 May and were adjourned on the same day.

The 50-year-old entertainer also has two biological children – Lourdes, now 12, and Rocco, aged eight.

BLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi’s highest court plans to announce Friday whether Madonna can adopt a second child from the impoverished southern African country, the pop star’s lawyer said Thursday.

The lawyer, Alan Chinula, said the ruling would be issued at 9 a.m.

Madonna had appealed after a lower court ruled she could not adopt 3-year-old Chifundo “Mercy” James because the singer had not spent enough time in Malawi. The lower court said residency rules had been bent when Madonna adopted her son David from Malawi last year.

During a hearing in May, the three judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal heard constitutional expert Modechai Msiska argue on Madonna’s behalf. He said although residence was a factor in the adoption process, it would be unconstitutional if adhering to the requirement negated a child’s rights.

Johns Gulumba, a lawyer for Eye of the Child, an independent group that opposes the adoption, told the appeals court that following the rules keeps out potential child abusers. He also said foreign adoptions should be a last resort.

Madonna found the girl in 2006 at Kondanani Children’s Village, an orphanage in Bvumbwe just south of Malawi’s commercial capital of Blantyre. That was the same year Madonna began adoption proceedings for David, whom she found at another orphanage in the country’s the central Mchinji district.

Madonna has founded a charity, Raising Malawi, which helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi’s more than 1 million orphans, half of whom have lost a parent to AIDS.