Can stepparents adopt a child?

In Washington, yes, stepparents can adopt a child. The stepparent adoption process involves filing paperwork with the court, attending a court hearing, and sometimes completing certain classes or counseling sessions. The initial paperwork to initiate a stepparent adoption is usually filed with the court in the county where the stepparent lives. This paperwork will likely include the names and contact information of the parties involved in the adoption, including the child’s parents, the person being adopted, and the stepparent. It will also include a statement of the child’s residency, the legal grounds for the adoption, and a plan of adoption. After filing the paperwork, the court will usually set a date for a hearing and notify the parties involved. During this hearing, the court will review all of the paperwork, ask questions of the people involved, and potentially require additional information. They may also require the parties to attend counseling or complete a parenting class. Once the court has all the information it needs, it will decide whether to approve the adoption. If approved, the court will then complete the adoption decree and that will officially make the stepparent an adoptive parent. After the adoption is complete, the stepparent can apply for a new birth certificate from the Washington Department of Health, so that the new parent will be listed on the child’s official birth records.

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Can stepparents adopt a child?

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