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In Madison, Wisconsin, you file your stepparent adoption papers at the local Circuit Court. Wisconsin has 72 counties, each with its own courthouse.
Our document package is customized for the exact county where Madison is located, so you'll have the right forms and procedures for your specific court.
What to bring when filing:
- Signed Petition for Adoption (we prepare this)
- All supporting documents (we prepare these)
- Filing fee ($100–$400)
- Marriage certificate copy
- Child's birth certificate (certified copy)
The clerk will stamp your documents and assign a case number. From there, you proceed with service of process and wait for the court to schedule the finalization hearing.
Call us at (855) 924-0450 if you have questions about the Madison area process.
Stepparent adoption in Wisconsin at a glance
- Court
- Circuit Court
- Residency before filing
- No minimum period
- Typical timeline
- 3-6 months
- Child's consent
- Wisconsin does not require the child's consent; a child 14 or older attends the hearing unless the court orders otherwise
- Home study
- Usually waived for stepparents
- Wisconsin families we've helped
- 385
Adoption document specialists · 25+ years of experience · 34,000+ families helped.
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