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

Possibly, but whether the bio parent's texts to your spouse affect an abandonment finding is a question the District Court decides based on your specific facts. Louisiana's abandonment provision, La. Ch.C. Art. 1245, uses a 6-month period, so the length of time the parent has gone without contacting your child matters.

What the court will focus on: The period in Art. 1245 is 6 months. The court will look at what has actually happened between the bio parent and your child during that time. How the judge treats messages sent only to your spouse is not something we can promise, so ask the District Court clerk in your parish or an attorney about that point. Write down dates and keep records of any calls, visits, messages, gifts or support, and note who they were directed to.

Other Louisiana basics that apply here:

• Court: You file in the District Court. Louisiana has 64 parishes, and your parish's clerk can explain local filing steps.
• Residency: Louisiana has no specific residency duration requirement (La. Ch.C. Art. 1180).
• Child's consent: Louisiana does not require the child's consent. The court asks for and considers the wishes of a child 12 or older (La. Ch.C. Art. 1253(C)).
• Home study: It is waived in stepparent cases (La. Ch.C. Art. 1252(A)).
• Paperwork: Louisiana requires a Petition for Intrafamily Adoption and a sworn statement of financial responsibility, among other documents.
• Notice to the other parent: Louisiana allows personal service by sheriff, or service by publication if a parent's location is unknown after due diligence. If the bio parent is texting your spouse, you may have a way to reach them, but the clerk or an attorney can tell you which method fits your situation.

What depends on the facts: Whether the bio parent must consent, whether they object, and whether the court can proceed without their agreement all turn on your circumstances. If you expect a contested case, speak with a Louisiana attorney about that issue, and ask the clerk about procedural details. The data we work from doesn't set out those rules, so they are worth confirming locally.

Time and cost: Stepparent adoptions in Louisiana typically take 3-6 months. Court filing fees run $200-$400, and the total typical cost is under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for an attorney.

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 parish. You then file it yourself without an attorney, and we have helped 881 Louisiana families do this. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. You receive court-ready documents within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.