Do I need the other parent's consent?

No — the other parent's consent is NOT required for a stepparent adoption.

This is the biggest concern families have, and here's the truth: over 80% of the 34,000+ adoptions we've helped families complete were finalized WITHOUT the other parent's consent. This is completely normal and extremely common.

In Rhode Island, if the other biological parent has abandoned the child — meaning no meaningful contact for 6 months — the court will approve the adoption without their consent. Under Rhode Island law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-7-7), a lack of communication or contact for at least 6 months constitutes prima facie evidence of abandonment.

Important clarification: "Token contact" like an occasional phone call or one brief visit does NOT count as meaningful contact. And paying child support does NOT negate abandonment — abandonment is about the relationship with the child, not payments.

The Rhode Island Family Court is very familiar with completing stepparent adoptions without the other parent consenting. The court wants the child to have the unity and security of a two-parent home.

If the other parent is deceased, the adoption is even simpler — no consent or service required at all.

What's your specific situation? Is the other parent in contact with your child, or have they been absent?