Do I need the biological father's consent for stepparent adoption in Wyoming?

Whether you need the biological father's consent depends on his situation, and Wyoming addresses a father who has abandoned his child separately. If he is involved and willing, his consent is the simplest route. If he is not involved, the court looks at abandonment under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110.

How abandonment works in Wyoming: Wyoming sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. Instead, it depends on the parent's overall conduct. There is no "magic date" after which a father is treated as having abandoned the child. The court looks at the whole picture of his involvement, so your own facts matter. Wyoming's data does not spell out how the court treats particular situations, such as occasional calls, one-time visits or child support payments. Your District Court clerk or an attorney can tell you how those would be viewed in your case.

Termination of his rights: Wyoming does not treat termination as a separate step from the adoption, so you do not file a stand-alone termination case before the adoption petition.

If he is willing: A father who agrees to the adoption can give his consent, which usually makes the process more straightforward. Ask the District Court clerk in your county about the exact form and filing steps.

Other points that affect your case:

• Court: You file your petition in the District Court in your county. Wyoming has 23 counties, and each clerk can confirm local filing details, including the current fee.
• Residency: The adopting parent must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Child's consent: The child's own consent comes into play at age 14 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109).
• Home study: It is waived in stepparent adoptions (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take about 3-6 months.

When to get individual advice: If the father objects, or if you do not know where he is or who he is, the outcome depends on specific facts. Those situations are worth a conversation with an attorney or the District Court clerk, since Wyoming law on those points should be confirmed for your circumstances.

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. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child, plus $99 for each additional child. We have helped 191 Wyoming families, and over 34,000 families nationally since 2001. Our work comes with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.