Can I adopt my stepchild if the bio parent only sends texts to my spouse but never contacts the child in Kentucky?

You may be able to, but whether texts sent only to your spouse count as contact with the child is a question for the Circuit Court. Kentucky has one of the shorter abandonment periods: 90 days (3 months) of no contact can establish grounds for proceeding under KRS § 199.502. The law on how a court treats a parent who communicates with your spouse but never with the child is not something we can promise an outcome on. A judge decides it based on your facts.

What to gather: Because the outcome depends on the facts, a clear record helps. Consider collecting:

• The dates of any visits, calls, cards or messages the bio parent directed to the child, and when they last happened
• The texts the bio parent sent to your spouse, so the court can see exactly what they said and when
• Anything showing the child was available for contact and the bio parent did not take it up

If the bio parent won't consent: Kentucky's filing requirements include a Petition for Adoption, consent forms or a motion to dispense with consent, and your spouse's consent to the adoption. If the bio parent doesn't sign, the motion to dispense with consent is the route to raise. Whether a judge grants it in your situation is a contested-case issue, so it is worth speaking with an attorney or the Circuit Court clerk in your county.

Serving the bio parent: Kentucky allows personal service by a sheriff or process server. If the parent's location is unknown, service by publication is allowed after diligent efforts to find them. The clerk can tell you what the court expects.

Other Kentucky basics:

• Court: You file in the Circuit Court in your county.
• Residency: There is no waiting period for Kentucky residents (KRS § 199.470). Non-residents need 12 months in the state.
• Child's consent: The child's consent age in Kentucky is 12 (KRS § 199.500).
• Home study: It is waived in stepparent cases (KRS § 199.473).
• Background checks: Kentucky requires criminal background checks through the Kentucky State Police for adoption petitioners.
• Timeline: A stepparent adoption typically takes 3-6 months.
• Cost: Court filing fees run $150-$300, and a do-it-yourself adoption typically totals under $1,000. Attorney-handled adoptions often run $3,000-$5,000+.

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. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 501 Kentucky families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.