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

In Wyoming, the ground addressed for stepparent adoption is abandonment under Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-110, and Wyoming sets no fixed number of months for it. Abandonment depends on the other parent's overall conduct, so there is no calendar deadline to count to.

What this means for you:

• Conduct, not a countdown. The question is the whole picture of the parent's behavior toward the child, not whether a particular number of months has passed.
• One proceeding. Termination is not a separate lawsuit in Wyoming. It is handled within the adoption case, so you do not file a second case.
• The court. Adoption cases are filed in the District Court. Wyoming has 23 counties, including those that contain Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette and Rock Springs.
• Residency. The adopting person must have lived in Wyoming for 60 days immediately before filing (Wyo. Stat. § 1-22-103).
• Timeline. A stepparent adoption in Wyoming generally runs 3-6 months.

Other grounds: Whether grounds beyond abandonment, such as abuse, neglect, incarceration, mental incapacity or substance abuse, apply in your Wyoming case, and what proof they require, should be confirmed with the District Court clerk in your county or with an attorney. These questions turn on the specific facts of your family.

Situations that call for an attorney:

• The other parent objects or plans to contest the adoption.
• You do not know where the other parent is, or who the other parent is.
• There is a history of abuse, neglect or court involvement with the child.

An attorney can advise you on your own circumstances. The District Court clerk can confirm local filing procedures and court fees.

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 arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, backed by our 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 191 Wyoming families, and 34,000+ families nationally since 2001.