Does drug addiction affect parental rights in Wyoming adoption cases?

Drug addiction can matter in a Wyoming stepparent adoption, but mainly through its effect on the parent's conduct toward the child. Wyoming's abandonment statute, Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110, sets no fixed number of months. Abandonment depends on the parent's overall conduct. So the question is less about the addiction itself and more about what the parent has actually done, or not done, for the child.

What this means for you:

• No countdown clock. Because there is no set period, you can't point to a number of months of absence and treat it as automatic. The District Court looks at the whole picture of the parent's behavior.
• Conduct is the focus. Contact, support and involvement in the child's life are the kinds of facts that show a parent's overall conduct. Addiction may be part of the story behind that conduct.
• Your facts matter. How the court weighs addiction, treatment, or a parent's attempts to stay involved depends on your situation. Whether a parent contests or an exact legal standard applies should be confirmed with the District Court clerk in your county or with a Wyoming family law attorney.

Other Wyoming requirements to know:

• Court: You file in the District Court. Wyoming has 23 counties, so your filing goes to the court in your county.
• Residency: The adopting parent must have lived in Wyoming for the 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Child's consent: The consent age is 14 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109).
• Home study: Wyoming's stepparent process waives the home study (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take 3-6 months.
• Filing fees: The District Court clerk in your county can tell you the current fee.

When to get individual help: If the other parent is likely to contest, can't be located, or is in treatment and wants to stay involved, those details can change how your case proceeds. Ask the District Court clerk what the court requires, and consider talking with an attorney about that specific issue. Court staff can explain procedure, but they can't advise you on your case.

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, and we back it with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 191 Wyoming families and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.