What counts as abandonment for adoption purposes in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, a parent's abandonment can be grounds for your adoption to move forward when there has been no contact with the child for 3 months (90 days), as set out in KRS § 199.502. That is one of the shorter abandonment periods, so it matters if the other parent has been out of the picture.

What the time period means. The 90 days of no contact is what can establish grounds for proceeding without that parent's agreement. Some situations are less clear-cut, such as a parent who sends an occasional message, pays some support, or visits once. Kentucky law on those points depends on the facts. The Circuit Court clerk in your county or an attorney can tell you how they apply to your family.

How it fits into your case. If the other parent will not sign a consent, your paperwork includes a motion to dispense with consent along with the petition for adoption. Your spouse also signs a consent to the adoption. The Circuit Court in your county decides whether the grounds are met. A judge decides each case on its own facts, so no one can promise an outcome.

If you don't know where the other parent is. Kentucky allows these ways of notifying the other parent:

• Personal service by a sheriff or process server.
• Service by publication if the parent's location is unknown, after a diligent effort to find them.

If you are in this situation, ask the clerk or an attorney what counts as a diligent effort in your county.

Other Kentucky basics that go with it.

• Residency: There is no waiting period for Kentucky residents (KRS § 199.470). Non-residents need 12 months in the state.
• Child's consent: A child who is 12 has a consent role in the adoption (KRS § 199.500).
• Home study: It is waived in a stepparent adoption (KRS § 199.473).
• Timeline: Stepparent adoptions in Kentucky typically take 3-6 months.
• Cost: Court filing fees run about $150-$300, and the total typically comes to under $1,000 when you file without an attorney. Attorney-handled adoptions often cost $3,000-$5,000+.

Where to confirm details. Kentucky has 120 counties, and each Circuit Court clerk's office can answer local questions about forms, fees and procedures. If the other parent contests the adoption, or the facts about contact are disputed, speak with a Kentucky family law attorney about that specific issue.

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 (or one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and they come with our 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 501 Kentucky families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.