The biological parent hasn't seen my child in over a year. Can I adopt in Connecticut?

Possibly, but not automatically. Connecticut sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-717, abandonment depends on the biological parent's overall conduct. A long stretch without seeing your child is important, but the Probate Court looks at the whole picture, not a single calendar cutoff.

What the court may look at. Because there is no set period, the question is what the parent has and hasn't done. Examples of facts that can matter include:

• Whether the parent has had any contact with your child, such as calls, messages, cards or visits
• Whether the parent has made any effort to stay involved
• Whether anything stood in the way of contact, and who was responsible
• Whether the parent has provided any support

Your own situation may have details that cut either way. How the court weighs them is a question for the Probate Court clerk in your county or an attorney.

Other Connecticut basics that apply to you:

• Court: Stepparent adoptions are handled by the Probate Court.
• Residency: Connecticut has no minimum residency period (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-727).
• Home study: It is waived in stepparent adoptions (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-733(a)).
• Termination: Connecticut does not treat termination of the other parent's rights as a separate case.
• Your child's consent: If your child is 12 or older, Connecticut's child-consent rule applies (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-724).
• Timeline: A stepparent adoption in Connecticut typically takes about 3-6 months.

What we can't predict for you. Whether the other parent must be notified, whether they might object, and what happens if you don't know where they are all depend on your facts. Please confirm those points with the Probate Court clerk or an attorney. The same goes for the filing fee, which the clerk can tell you.

Your next step. Gather what shows the history: dates of the last contact, any messages, and any records of support or attempts to reach out. Even if you don't end up needing all of it, it gives you a clear picture of where you stand, and it helps an attorney or clerk answer your questions quickly.

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 arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child, and we offer a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 158 Connecticut families, and more than 34,000 families nationwide since 2001.