What are the grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, the ground for involuntary termination that applies in a stepparent adoption is abandonment by the other legal parent, and Louisiana's abandonment period is six months (La. Ch.C. Art. 1245). If the other parent will not consent, abandonment is the ground to look at first.

How abandonment fits in. Whether a particular parent's history meets the six-month standard depends on the facts of your family. The District Court clerk in your parish can confirm how it is applied in your case.

Other situations. If your circumstances involve something other than abandonment, such as neglect, abuse, incarceration, mental incapacity, or substance abuse, confirm how Louisiana law treats that with the District Court clerk or an attorney who handles contested adoptions.

Termination happens inside the adoption. In Louisiana, termination is not a separate lawsuit. It is handled within the adoption proceeding under Louisiana Children's Code Title XII, so you file one case in District Court.

What to expect:

• Residency: Louisiana has no minimum residency period, though you must be domiciled in the state, meaning it is your permanent home (La. Ch.C. Art. 1180).
• Child's consent: The child's consent is not required. If the child is 12 or older, the court asks for and considers the child's wishes (La. Ch.C. Art. 1253(C)).
• Timeline: A stepparent adoption typically takes 3-6 months.
• Costs: The court filing fee is typically $200-$400. The total cost is typically under $1,000 when you prepare and file the papers yourself, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for an attorney.

When to talk to an attorney. If the other parent is likely to contest the adoption, if you do not know where they are, or if you are unsure whether the six-month period has been met, ask an attorney or the District Court clerk about that specific issue. The right path depends on your facts, and this is general information, not legal advice for your situation.

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 parish. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, backed by a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 881 Louisiana families, and 34,000+ families nationally since 2001.