Traditional stepparent adoption requires a legal marriage. However, some states allow second parent adoption for unmarried partners.
Wisconsin's position: This varies and can depend on the specific county and judge. We recommend contacting us to discuss your specific situation.
States where we've completed adoptions for unmarried couples include: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Washington DC.
If you're planning to marry: You may want to wait until after the wedding to file the adoption, as stepparent adoption has a well-established legal framework in every state.
Call us at (855) 924-0450 to discuss your specific situation. We can advise whether your Wisconsin county has granted adoptions to unmarried partners.
Stepparent adoption in Wisconsin at a glance
- Court
- Circuit Court
- Residency before filing
- No minimum period
- Typical timeline
- 3-6 months
- Child's consent
- Wisconsin does not require the child's consent; a child 14 or older attends the hearing unless the court orders otherwise
- Home study
- Usually waived for stepparents
- Wisconsin families we've helped
- 385
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Page layout updated . Individual answers have different research histories. This is general information; court requirements and individual circumstances can differ. Document preparation service, not a law firm.
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