Can a stepmother adopt her husband's child in Wyoming?

Yes, a stepmother can adopt her husband's child in Wyoming. Under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(b), a petition may be filed by either spouse if the other spouse is the child's parent, so you can file as the child's stepmother. Your husband can also join the petition as a married couple who maintain their home together.

Where you file: Adoption proceedings begin with a petition filed in District Court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(a)). Wyoming has 23 counties, and you file in the District Court in your county. Adoption hearings are closed to the public unless the court orders otherwise (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-105).

What to know before you file:

• Residency: You must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Adopter: Any adult may adopt, and the court must find the adopter fit and competent to be a parent (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Child's consent: A child who is 14 or older has a consent role in the adoption (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109).
• Home study: For a stepparent adoption, the court's investigation requirement is waived (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take about 3-6 months.

The child's other parent: This is often the most important question. If the child's mother is involved, her position matters. If she is not involved, Wyoming looks at abandonment under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110. The state sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. It depends on the parent's overall conduct. Because that is a judgment about your family's particular facts, an attorney or the District Court clerk in your county can tell you how it applies to your situation. The same goes for a contested case or a parent you cannot locate.

Fees and records: Court filing fees vary, so the District Court clerk in your county can confirm the current amount. For questions about birth records after the adoption, Wyoming Vital Statistics Services is the state agency to contact, and the clerk can explain which steps apply to you.

A few practical tips:

• Gather your marriage information and your stepchild's birth details before you start.
• Check with the clerk's office on how your county handles filings.
• If your stepchild is 14 or older, talk with them early about the adoption.

How we help: StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child, and we back every package with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 191 Wyoming families and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.