What are the requirements for stepparent adoption in Tennessee?

Stepparent adoption in Tennessee is filed in Chancery or Circuit Court, and the main requirements are a petition with your spouse's consent, consent from the child's other legal parent (or a finding of abandonment), and consent from the child if he or she is 14 or older.

Where you file: Your petition goes to the Chancery or Circuit Court. Tennessee has 95 counties, and each clerk's office can tell you its local filing steps.

Residency: Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-115 sets no minimum residency period for you to file.

Your eligibility: Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-115, a person over 18 may petition. Tennessee doesn't specify a minimum length of marriage, though courts generally prefer to see a stable relationship.

Core paperwork: Tennessee requires the following:

• A Petition for Adoption
• A sworn statement of financial responsibility
• Your spouse's consent to the adoption
• The court's filing fee

Your clerk can confirm any additional local items.

The other parent's consent or abandonment: Either the child's other legal parent consents, or abandonment is established under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-113, which uses a 4-month period. Tennessee doesn't require a separate termination case. If the other parent objects, or the facts are unclear, that is a situation where an attorney can advise you on your specific case.

If you can't find the other parent: Tennessee allows service by publication when you can't locate the other parent after a diligent search. Otherwise, the other parent can be served personally by a sheriff or process server.

The child's consent: A child who is 14 or older must consent under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-117.

Home study: It is waived for stepparent adoptions under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-1-116, so you don't need to schedule one.

Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Tennessee typically take 3-6 months.

Cost: Court filing fees run about $150-$350, and the total typically comes to under $1,000 when you handle the filing yourself. Hiring an attorney commonly costs $3,000-$5,000+.

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.