In this answer · 2 sections
No — in stepparent adoption, only ONE biological parent's rights are terminated. Here's how it works:
The structure of stepparent adoption:
- Your spouse (the child's biological parent) KEEPS their parental rights
- The OTHER biological parent's rights are terminated
- You (the stepparent) gain parental rights in place of the terminated parent
- Result: The child has two legal parents — your spouse and you
This is different from traditional adoption, where BOTH biological parents' rights are terminated and the child is placed with entirely new parents.
Why this matters:
- Your spouse doesn't have to "give up" their child
- The adoption adds YOU as a parent, it doesn't replace both existing parents
- The family structure stays the same — it just becomes legally official
If BOTH biological parents are absent: This would be a different type of adoption (not stepparent adoption). Contact us to discuss — we handle various adoption types.
For standard stepparent adoption: $349 | Phone: (855) 924-0450 | Start: stepparentadoption360.com/portal/register
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