How do I adopt my stepson or stepdaughter in Washington DC?

You adopt your stepchild in Washington DC by filing an adoption petition with the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, with the required consents, and getting a court decree. Stepparent adoptions in DC typically take about 3-6 months.

Who can file. Any person may petition for an adoption decree (D.C. Code § 16-302). If you are married to the child's parent, your spouse, as the child's natural parent, needs only to consent rather than join the petition (D.C. Code § 16-302).

Where to file and residency. You file in the Superior Court. Washington DC is a single district, so there is no county choice to make. The court's jurisdiction is set out in D.C. Code § 16-301(b), and it does not set a minimum number of months you must have lived in DC. If you are unsure how jurisdiction applies to your family, the Superior Court clerk can confirm.

Consents. Consent is a central part of the process:

• Your spouse, the child's parent, gives written consent.
• A child who is 14 or older must consent to the adoption (D.C. Code § 16-304).
• The other legal parent's consent is also part of the picture. If that parent is not involved, Washington DC uses an abandonment period of 6 months (D.C. Code § 16-304). Whether that applies to you depends on your facts.
• Termination of the other parent's rights is not a separate court case in DC.

If the other parent is unknown, cannot be found, or objects, your case depends on its specific facts. Talk to the Superior Court clerk or a family law attorney about that issue.

Home study. The court's home study investigation is waived for stepparent adoptions (D.C. Code § 16-308(a)(2)), so you do not need to schedule one.

The basic process:

• Gather the child's and parents' information and any documents the court asks for.
• Complete the petition and consent forms.
• File them with the Superior Court.
• Attend any hearing the court sets, and receive the decree.
• Contact the DC Department of Health Vital Records about updating the child's birth record after the decree.

Fees and other details. The Superior Court sets its own filing fee and any local filing requirements, so ask the clerk for the current amount and instructions before you file.

Adopting an adult stepchild. If your stepchild is over 18, the process is different.