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

Possibly, yes. Maine uses a six-month abandonment period, so a parent who has had no contact with your stepchild may fit it, but whether texts to your spouse change the picture depends on the facts of your family and is for the Probate Court to weigh. The citations are 18-C M.R.S. § 9-204; 22 M.R.S. § 4002(1-A).

Why the texts matter less than you might think. The question is about the parent's relationship with the child. Messages that go only to your spouse are a different thing from visits, calls, letters or gifts that reach the child. How a judge treats a mix like yours is a fact-specific question, so ask the Probate Court clerk in your county or an attorney about your exact situation.

What to gather. A clear timeline will help whoever reviews your case:

• The date of the last time the bio parent saw, called or wrote to the child
• Copies of the texts to your spouse, with dates, showing what was said and whether the child was ever included
• Any record of missed visits, unanswered calls or returned mail
• Anything showing the parent knew how to reach the child and did not

Other Maine basics that apply to your case:

• Court: Stepparent adoptions are filed in the Probate Court. Maine has 16 counties, and you file in yours.
• Residency: Maine has no minimum residency period under 18-C M.R.S. § 9-301.
• Child's consent: A child who is 12 or older has a consent role under 18-C M.R.S. § 9-302. If your stepchild is under 12, this step does not apply in the same way.
• Home study: It is waived for stepparent adoptions under 18-C M.R.S. § 9-304, so you will not need to schedule one.
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Maine typically take about 3-6 months.
• Filing fee: The Probate Court clerk in your county can confirm the current fee.

Where an attorney may be worth a call. If the bio parent is likely to contest the adoption, or if you are unsure whether their contact has been meaningful, a short consultation with a Maine attorney or the clerk can tell you how those facts are likely to be handled. We cannot predict that for you, and it is better to know before you file.

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 Maine county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Your court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 151 Maine families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001. You can start with the online questionnaire at your own pace.