What are the adoption laws in Wyoming?

Wyoming's adoption laws are in Wyoming Statutes Title 1, Chapter 22, and a stepparent adoption is started by filing a petition in the District Court in your county. Wyoming has 23 counties, and the process is similar in each.

Who can adopt: Under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103, "any adult person" may adopt, if the court finds them fit and competent to be a parent. Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(b) allows a petition from a single adult, from a husband and wife who maintain their home together, or from either spouse if the other is the child's parent. That last option is the one stepparents use.

Residency: Wyoming has no long residency requirement. The adopter must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).

Where to file: Adoption proceedings begin with a petition filed in District Court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-104(a)). Hearings in adoption proceedings are closed unless the court orders otherwise (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-105). Filing fees vary, so the District Court clerk in your county can confirm the current amount.

Consent: Wyoming sets the child consent age at 14 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-109). If the child's other parent is involved, their consent or rights are a central question. Contested cases and cases where the other parent cannot be found depend on the facts, so talk to the clerk or an attorney about your specific situation.

Abandonment: Wyoming has no fixed number of months for abandonment. It depends on the parent's overall conduct (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110). Because no set time period applies, a situation involving an absent parent is best reviewed with an attorney.

Home study: For a stepparent adoption, the home study is waived (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-111(a)(ii)). That removes a step that can add time in other kinds of adoption.

Timeline: A stepparent adoption in Wyoming typically takes about 3-6 months. An adult adoption typically takes about 4-8 weeks.

Adult adoption: Wyoming allows it, but with limits. The adopter must have been a stepparent, grandparent or other blood relative, foster parent or legal guardian who participated in raising the adult when the adult was a child, and the adult must file a consent with the court (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-102(b)). The adult must be served with the petition and a summons. If the adult objects, the petition is dismissed. If the adult consents, the petition "shall be granted"