Smith Strong, PLC has always offered stepparent adoptions. The challenge was securing the consent of the biological parent who was no longer actively raising the child, nor had any continuing interest to do so.
In central Virginia, a new standard has emerged to make stepparent adoptions easier in Virginia for our attorneys and their clients.
If a biological parent has no contact or visitation with the child for six (6) months or more, nor wishes to resume contact with the child, there is now a presumption that they wish to have their parental rights terminated, establishing a more defined pathway for a stepparent to adopt children they are actively raising with the other biological parent.
Note: Child support payments, alone, do not amount to 'contact' by the nonparticipating, biological parent.
It also builds confidence to know stepparent adoption is likely worth pursuing if your family situation meets that baseline standard. Facts and outcomes vary, and certainly are not guaranteed, so please consult with an attorney at Smith Strong, PLC if you or someone you love is considering stepparent adoption.
Below is a happy parent, joining Smith Strong attorney Robert Miller after a successful stepparent adoption hearing in Summer 2024.
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