I grew up an orphan. My parents both died in a car accident when I was 5. 
Sorry! So pathetic! So who's an orphan?
An orphan is someone whose parents died or permanently abandoned them. 
At what age bracket could one be regarded an orphan?
In the United States an orphan is a minor -- which means under the age of 18. If your parents die after you are 18, you are not technically an orphan. 
Are there laws related to the adoption of an orphan?
or religious sanction. Historically, some societies have enacted specific laws governing adoption; where others have tried to achieve adoption through less formal means, notably via contracts that specified inheritance rights and parental responsibilities without an accompanying transfer of filiation. Modern systems of adoption, arising in the 20th century, tend to be governed by comprehensive statutes and regulations.
History.
History Antiquity.
- Adoption for the well-born
While the modern form of adoption emerged in the United States, forms of the practice appeared throughout history.
Orphan
An orphan (from the ) is someone whose parents have died, are unknown, or have permanently abandoned them.
In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usually relevant (i.e. if the female parent has gone, the offspring is an orphan, regardless of the father's condition).
Definitions.
Various groups use different definitions to identify orphans. One legal definition used in the