Can a father on a life sentence have his parental rights terminated in Wyoming?

Possibly. Wyoming's abandonment provision, Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110, looks at a parent's overall conduct rather than a set number of months, so whether a father on a life sentence qualifies depends on the facts of his situation.

How Wyoming treats abandonment:

• Wyoming has no fixed number of months that counts as abandonment. The court looks at the whole picture of the father's conduct toward the child.
• Whether a life sentence alone is enough, or how much weight the court gives contact, support, and involvement from prison, is a question to confirm with the District Court clerk in your county or an attorney.
• Termination is not a separate case in Wyoming's stepparent adoption process, so you do not file a second proceeding just for that step.

Facts that tend to matter in your situation:

• Whether he has had any contact with your child, and what kind.
• Whether he has provided any support or taken part in your child's life.
• How long your spouse and child have functioned as a family with you in the parenting role.

Gather any records, letters, messages, and dates that show what has or hasn't happened. They help you describe the situation accurately.

Where the case is filed and who must live where:

• Adoption proceedings begin with a petition filed in District Court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(a)).
• The adopting stepparent must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Adoption hearings are closed unless the court orders otherwise (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-105).

Other points that apply to stepparent adoptions:

• If your child is 14 or older, the child's consent is part of the process (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109).
• The home study is waived for stepparent adoptions (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).
• Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take 3-6 months. A case where the father objects or must be notified in a correctional facility may take a different amount of time, and the clerk can tell you how your county handles it.

Notice to a father in prison and contested cases: