How do I know if I'm eligible for stepparent adoption in Connecticut?

You may be eligible for stepparent adoption in Connecticut if you are the stepparent of your spouse's child and want to adopt through the Probate Court. Connecticut has no minimum residency period for this. Eligibility turns on a few specific points, covered below.

Residency: Connecticut sets no minimum number of months you must have lived in the state (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-727). You do not need to wait out a residency period before filing.

Your child's consent: Connecticut sets the child consent age at 12 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-724). If your stepchild is 12 or older, plan to talk with them about the adoption, because their consent comes into play.

The other biological parent: This is usually the most fact-dependent part. Connecticut sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. It depends on the parent's overall conduct (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-717). So you cannot count months of no contact and know where you stand. If the other parent is absent, unknown, or likely to object, ask the Probate Court clerk in your county or an attorney about your specific situation.

Home study: For stepparent adoption, the home study is waived (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-733(a)). That removes one step many people worry about.

Your age: For an adult adoption, the adopter must be 18 or older (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-734(a)). For adopting a minor child, the Probate Court clerk can confirm whether any minimum age applies to you.

If you want to adopt an adult: Connecticut also allows adult adoption, and you may be eligible if:

• You are 18 or older, and the person you want to adopt is at least 18 and younger than you.
• You both sign a written agreement.
• You and the adoptee share a relationship similar to that of a parent and an adult child, and the Probate Court finds the adoption is in both your best interests.
• The adoptee is not your spouse, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whole or half blood).
• If you are married, your spouse joins in the agreement, unless the Probate Court finds sufficient reason why they should not (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-734). If the adoptee is married, their spouse gives written consent (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-735).
• The Probate Court holds a hearing, with notice to each party.

One parent of an adult child may join in the agreement between their spouse and the adult child. In that case the non-joining parent's legal relationship ends, but the adoptee keeps inheritance rights from a parent who died before the adoption.

Timeline: Stepparent adoptions of children in Connecticut typically take 3-6 months. Adult adoptions typically take 4-8 weeks.

Questions to confirm locally: Court filing fees, any local filing procedures, and how the court handles a contested case or a parent who cannot be found are best confirmed with the Probate Court clerk in your county or an attorney.