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

In Washington, the ground that matters most in a stepparent adoption is abandonment, and a Superior Court looks at the other parent's overall conduct rather than a set number of months. Washington sets no fixed abandonment period. The statute is cited as RCW § 26.33.120.

Why abandonment comes first. Consent from a child's parent is generally required when the child is under 18 (RCW 26.33.160(1)). If the other parent won't consent or can't be found, abandonment is the ground families most often rely on to move forward without that consent. Years of non-involvement typically support an abandonment finding.

What the court looks at. Because there is no countdown, the judge considers the whole picture:

• Whether the parent has kept up meaningful contact with your child
• The parent's involvement and conduct over time, not one missed visit or call
• The overall parent-child relationship, not only money

Child support doesn't settle it. If the other parent pays support only now and then, you can still pursue adoption. Support payments do not prevent an abandonment finding when the parent hasn't maintained meaningful contact with the child.

Other grounds. Other circumstances, such as abuse, neglect, incarceration or incapacity, may be raised in some cases. Which of them Washington recognizes, and how each is proven, depends on the facts of your case. Please confirm those points with the Superior Court clerk in your county or with an attorney. This is especially important if the other parent contests the adoption, or if you don't know who or where the other parent is.

One proceeding, not two. In Washington, termination is not a separate filing. It is handled within the adoption case in the Superior Court of your county.

Your child's own consent. This is separate from terminating the other parent's rights. A child who is 14 or older must consent to the adoption (RCW § 26.33.160).

Time and cost. A stepparent adoption in Washington typically takes about 3-6 months. Court filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the total is typically under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for an attorney.

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. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and they come with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 1104 Washington families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.