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Stepparent Adoption

Are you a step parent that has been raising your wife’s child? Do you treat the child like the child is your own child? Are you all a family unit? Do you love that child like your own child? Does the child have half siblings that are the natural child of you and your Wife? Does the child want to have your last name because the child currently has a different name than the rest of the family? Has the biological father ever been in the child’s life? Does the biological Father pay child support?

You can file a stepparent adoption in the court where the child has lived the last six (6) months. If the child is twelve (12) years old, or older, the child must consent to the adoption.

You file a Petition for Stepparent Adoption. If the biological father will consent to adoption it makes it easier. Many biological parents will consent to a stepparent adoption because once the child is adopted, the biological father is no longer responsible for child support. You as the adoptive parent will be responsible for the child’s needs.

If the biological father will not consent to adoption, you can still proceed with the adoption. However, you must show that the biological father has abandoned the child, or has not had any meaningful contact with the child. Many biological fathers have had no contact with their child for several years. Many biological fathers have neither communicated with the child by phone, nor email, nor text. They have abandoned the child. They may not have paid child support for many years. They may not have given the child any presents or in kind gifts.

This information is provided only as educational materials, and does not constitute the providing of legal advice, and does not create an attorney client relationship.