Every adoptee shall be present in the room during the first appearance and the hearing on its merits, unless the court, at its discretion, deems it is not conducive to his/her welfare.The hearings held in the adoption proceedings shall be private. The presence of the public shall not be allowed in the room in which said proceedings are held. The presence of persons at the hearing on the merits of any of these matters shall be limited to judicial officials, the interested parties, their legal representatives and the official representing the Department of the Family or the party contracted to render the expert social report. History —Jan. 19, 1995, No. 9, § 10.
Puerto Rico Legal Code