Here are a few more details about the actual adoption hearing in Zambia. The process varies somewhat from individual to individual, of course, but generally speaking, you can expect it to go like this:
*Identify child
*Start “fostering” - court-ordered and the child is assigned to your care
*Dept of Social Welfare prepares documentation about your fitness as parents (a guardian-ad-litem report, which states in part that no life insurance policy has yet been taken out on said infants)
*Petition for adoption is also prepared
*Court hearing occurs in front of a judge and with representative of the Department of Social Welfare. All proceedings are conducted in English. At this time, at least one adopting parent MUST be present.

My court hearing went as follows:
After being asked if I was a Christian, I was sworn in. I was asked my permanent address (in the States), and was asked to say in my own words why I was there. I asked the judge to grant my petition to adopt these two children and that I would treat them in every way as if I had given birth to them. He wanted to make sure I was not adopting them for “insurance” and I realize he meant for us to “profit” off of life insurance for them. I am so sad that people worry about those kind of things. Adoptism strikes again. Sigh. He then ruled that it was in the children's best interest to be adopted and told me kind of sternly that they were to be treated well, to be treated as “my own”. Of course! I told him of course - I love these children! And I'll make it a point to send updates via the Embassy. They have been doing a good job of getting them back to the Department of Social Welfare and over to the courts so they can “track” how their kids are doing.

*After court, all documentation is notarized by the clerk of the court
*Adoptive parents receive copies, plus one letter from the Department of Social Welfare requesting an adoption certificate (this will be issued in conjunction with the new birth certificate).
*Adoptive parents make new copies (so to have enough sets) and get them notarized

That's the basic court process, as I experienced it. Your experience may differ. :)