How do I answer the questionnaire about abandonment or voluntary consent?

Pick the choice that matches what actually happened. "Voluntary consent" means the other parent has agreed to sign. "Abandonment / no contact or support" fits when he hasn't been involved and won't or can't sign, which is the most common situation we see. In our experience, about 80% of the stepparent adoptions we've completed went forward without the other biological parent's consent. If neither choice fits, contact support and describe your facts.

Voluntary consent means he has agreed

Choose this when the other parent has said he will sign the adoption consent. He'll still need the correct form, signed the way your state requires. See the consent-form guide. If he might agree but hasn't committed, don't choose this yet.

Abandonment / no contact or support

Choose this when he has stayed out of the child's life: no visits, no calls, no support, for a long stretch. Give dates, any attempts at contact, support records and relevant orders. Token contact (an occasional call or card) generally doesn't amount to keeping up a parental relationship. If he was never on the birth certificate and never established paternity, say so; your state may handle that through a separate, often simpler, procedure.

The Texas example

Texas section 161.001 lists several termination grounds, each with its own conditions and time periods. Section 161.002 separately covers alleged fathers, including the paternity registry and service. The questionnaire's two labels are a starting point; describe your facts fully so your documents use the right route.

A father who is known but whose address you don't have is handled through a search and notice (often publication). A father whose identity is unknown is handled through your state's unknown-father steps.

A clear answer includes

• The filing state and the child's age.
• Who the legal or possible biological father is, and any paternity orders.
• Whether he has actually agreed to sign.
• Contact and support history, with dates (estimates are fine if marked).
• His current or last-known address and any search you've done.
• Custody or protective orders.

If a field asks for a choice you can't truthfully make, pause that answer and contact support so we can record your facts correctly. If he is actively contesting the adoption, that's the time to talk with a local adoption attorney.

Read consent versus abandonment and the Texas parentage example, then return to the questionnaire.