R. 5:10-1. — Venue

An action for the adoption of a child shall be brought in the county in which the prospective parent resides, or in the county where the child resided immediately prior to placement for adoption, or, if the child is less than three months of age, in the county in which the child was born; except that whenever the child to be adopted has been received into the home of a prospective parent from an approved agency, the action may be instituted in the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part of the county in which the approved agency has an office. For placements by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, which is an approved agency, the office shall be deemed to be in the county where parental rights were terminated.