What is the difference between consent and abandonment in adoption?

These are the two legal pathways for stepparent adoption:

Consent (Voluntary):

• The biological parent agrees to the adoption
• They sign a formal consent document
• Their parental rights are voluntarily terminated
• Process is typically simpler and faster
• About 20% of our cases

Abandonment (Involuntary):

• The biological parent has had no meaningful contact with the child for the required period (varies by state, typically 6–12 months)
• They are served with notice of the adoption
• If they don't respond, the court terminates their rights
• Over 80% of our cases — this is the most common path

Key points about abandonment:

• "Token contact" doesn't count (one call in a year)
• Child support payments don't negate abandonment
• The court looks at the relationship with the child, not money
• Courts handle this routinely and expect it in stepparent adoption cases

We prepare the correct documents for either path. In the questionnaire, you'll describe your situation and we'll include the appropriate forms — consent documents OR abandonment affidavit.

Either way, the result is the same: a finalized adoption.