One of the most common forms of adoption in Kansas is stepparent adoption. During a stepparent adoption, the stepparent assumes the legal and financial responsibility of his or her spouses biological children, just as if they were their own. When this happens, the non-custodial biological parent relinquishes rights to the child, including parental responsibilities, child support, and legal decision-making.
Even though stepparent adoption is common, it is nonetheless a complex area of family law. As such, it is often advantageous for the individuals attempting adoption to seek the guidance of an experienced Kansas adoption attorney. At McDowell Chartered, we understand the complexities of adoption, and are here to help parents and stepparents in Kansas and Missouri successfully resolve their adoption cases.
To help start the process, we have created a list of 10 things that every stepparent should know about stepparent adoption before initiating the process.
- In Kansas, the standard fee for filing an adoption petition is $72, though there may be other fees involved throughout the process.
- In the event that the biological mother or father of the child refuses to consent to stepparent adoption, there are situations in which the court may terminate his or her rights, such as if the parent has failed to perform parental duties for two-years or more, or if the parent abandoned the child as a newborn.
- Current law does not establish a minimum duration of marriage requirement for couples in which a new spouse (stepparent) wants to initiate adoption. Couples who are not married are not eligible for stepparent adoption.
- After an adoption petition has been filed, there is a waiting period of 30-days before the case can be finalized. In most cases, parents are notified within 20-days of the hearing date.
- If the parent who is relinquishing rights, or whose rights are being terminated, cannot be located in order to be notified of the hearing, then what is known as an