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

Possibly, but the time alone doesn't decide it. Wyoming sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. Under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110, abandonment depends on the biological parent's overall conduct. A long absence is an important fact, but the court looks at the whole picture.

What the court may look at. Because there is no set period, your situation will be judged on its own facts. Examples are whether the parent has called, written, sent support, or made any effort to stay involved. Whether your case counts as abandonment, and what happens if the other parent objects, depends on those details. For that specific question, the District Court clerk in your county or a Wyoming family law attorney can give you a reliable answer.

Where and how you file.

• Court: Wyoming adoptions begin with a petition filed in District Court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(a)). Wyoming has 23 counties, and you file in the one that applies to you.
• Who can petition: A spouse may file when the other spouse is the child's parent (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(b)).
• Residency: You need to have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Your child's consent: Wyoming's child-consent age is 14 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109). If your child is 14 or older, plan for that.
• Home study: For stepparent adoptions, the home study is waived (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)).

Timeline and costs. Stepparent adoptions in Wyoming typically take about 3-6 months. Court filing fees vary, and the clerk's office in your county can confirm the current amount.

What to do next.

• Write down the history of contact: the last visit, any calls or messages, and any support paid or missed.
• Gather any records that show the pattern, such as texts, letters, or court orders.
• Call the District Court clerk in your county to ask about forms, fees, and local procedures.
• If you expect the other parent to object, or you don't know where they are, talk with an attorney about that part of 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. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Your court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. We have helped 191 Wyoming families and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001, and we back our work with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.