Can my spouse adopt my child from a previous relationship in Wyoming?

Yes, in Wyoming your spouse can adopt your child from a previous relationship. A petition may be filed by either spouse if the other spouse is the child's parent (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(b)), and stepparent adoption is a common reason families use this process.

Here is how it works in Wyoming:

• Where you file: Adoption proceedings begin with a petition filed in District Court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(a)). Wyoming has 23 counties, so you file in the District Court for your county. Hearings in adoption cases are closed unless the court orders otherwise (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-105).
• Residency: The adopting adult must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Your child's consent: Wyoming sets the consent age at 14 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109).
• The other biological parent: This is often the most important question. Wyoming has no fixed number of months for abandonment. The court looks at the parent's overall conduct (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110). Because this depends so heavily on your family's facts, talk to the District Court clerk or an attorney if the other parent is likely to object, can't be located, or has never been involved.
• Home study: A home study is waived for stepparent adoptions in Wyoming (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take 3-6 months.

What the court looks for: The adopting adult must be found fit and competent to be a parent (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103). Once the adoption is finalized, your spouse becomes your child's legal parent.

Details to confirm locally: Filing fees, local forms and scheduling practices can vary, so the District Court clerk in your county can confirm those. After the adoption, Wyoming Vital Statistics Services is the agency to ask about your child's records.

Things to check with the clerk or an attorney: Situations involving a contested case, an unknown or missing parent, or any other unusual circumstances depend on the specific facts. Wyoming law on those points should be confirmed with the District Court clerk or an attorney who can look at your situation.

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. Your court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 191 families in Wyoming, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.