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

A single gift does not, by itself, decide whether there is abandonment in Washington. Washington sets no fixed number of months for abandonment. Under RCW § 26.33.120, the Superior Court looks at the parent's overall conduct, not one gesture.

What that means for a gift. A gift is one fact among many. The court looks at the whole relationship between the biological parent and your child. Washington courts also look beyond money. Even regular child support doesn't prevent an abandonment finding if the parent hasn't maintained meaningful contact with the child. By the same reasoning, a gift is weighed against everything else the parent has or hasn't done. Years of non-involvement typically support an abandonment finding.

What the court is likely to weigh. These are the kinds of facts that show the full picture:

• How long it has been since the parent had real, in-person or phone contact with your child
• Whether the parent visits, calls, or takes part in your child's daily life, school, or medical care
• Whether the gift was a one-time event or part of a pattern of reaching out
• Whether the parent has made any effort to see the child, or only sent something
• Whether the child has experienced this person as an actual parent

Whether it changes your case depends on your facts. If the parent has been absent for years and sent one present, that is a very different situation from a parent who sends gifts and also calls or visits. If the parent objects, or if the history is mixed, you should ask an attorney about your specific situation. The Superior Court clerk in your county can answer procedural questions.

What you can do now:

• Write down the date, what the gift was, how it arrived, and any message that came with it.
• Record the last time the parent had real contact with your child, and what contact has happened since.
• Keep texts, cards, emails, and mailing records that show how often (or how rarely) the parent reaches out.
• Note any child support payments, since the court looks at those as part of the overall picture too.

A clear, honest timeline helps the court see the full relationship rather than a single moment.

Timing and cost in Washington. Stepparent adoptions here typically take about 3-6 months. Court filing fees generally run $200-$500, and the total cost is typically under $1,000 when you file without an attorney, compared with $3,000-$5,000+ for attorney-handled adoptions. Washington has 39 counties, and each Superior Court can confirm its own local filing steps.

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, plus $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and we back them with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 1104 Washington families, and more than 34,000 families nationally since 2001.