What if the biological parent sends a gift but has no other contact — is that abandonment in Florida?

A gift on its own doesn't settle the question in Florida, because abandonment isn't measured by a set number of months. Under Fla. Stat. § 63.089, it depends on the biological parent's overall conduct. Florida has no fixed period of silence that automatically counts, and no single gift automatically rules abandonment in or out.

Why the whole picture matters: The court looks at the full pattern of the parent's behavior toward the child, not one event. A gift is one piece of that pattern. How much it weighs depends on what else the parent has or hasn't done, so the same gift could look different in different families.

What is useful to gather: Since the facts drive the outcome, a clear written record helps. Consider noting:

• The date of the gift, what it was, and how it arrived
• Who it was addressed to, whether the child or you
• Any message that came with it, and whether the child responded
• Every other contact or attempt at contact, or the absence of any, over the time you're describing
• Any visits, calls, messages or support, including when they last happened
• Anything you did to keep the door open for contact

Related Florida statutes to know: The parent's consent is addressed in Fla. Stat. § 63.062, and the situation where a parent's consent isn't given is addressed in Fla. Stat. § 63.064. If the other parent hasn't agreed to the adoption, the facts about their involvement may come into play. How a judge would weigh a gift in your particular case is a question for the Circuit Court clerk in your county or a Florida family law attorney. Contested situations, or cases where the parent has recently reappeared, are especially worth a conversation with an attorney.

If the parent is cooperative: A parent who sends a gift may also be willing to consent. In that case the question of abandonment may not need to be argued at all. Many stepparents find it worth asking, if it is safe and appropriate to do so.

The practical side: Stepparent adoptions in Florida are filed in the Circuit Court in your county. A typical stepparent timeline is about 3 months. Court filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the total cost of a self-filed adoption is typically under $1,000, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for an attorney. Florida allows you to represent yourself in a stepparent adoption.

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, which you file 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, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We've helped 1228 Florida families, and 34,000+ families nationwide since 2001.