Stepparent Adoption Attorneys
Bringing Blended Families Together

Stepparent adoption is the legal process by which a stepparent becomes the legal parent of their spouse’s child from a previous relationship. Once complete, the stepparent has all the rights and responsibilities of a biological parent — including custody, visitation, and inheritance rights — and the child gains full legal recognition as the stepparent’s child. At Haslam Perri Law Firm, we guide stepparents through every step of this process in San Bernardino County courts.

Yes, in most cases. The absent biological parent must either voluntarily consent to the termination of their parental rights or have their rights terminated by the court. If the absent parent is uncooperative, refuses to consent, or cannot be located, our attorneys pursue termination of parental rights through the court — either by demonstrating legal grounds for involuntary termination or by establishing that the absent parent has effectively abandoned the child.

California courts can treat a parent as having abandoned a child when that parent has willfully failed to communicate with or support the child for at least one year, despite having the ability to do so. If the absent parent has made no contact and paid no support for a year or more, our attorneys can petition the court to have that parent’s rights terminated on abandonment grounds — clearing the way for your stepparent adoption to proceed.

The timeline varies depending on whether the absent parent cooperates and the specific requirements of San Bernardino County courts. When the absent parent consents, the process can be completed in as little as three to six months. When parental rights must be terminated involuntarily or the absent parent cannot be located, the process can take longer. Our attorneys work efficiently to complete your adoption as quickly as possible.

Once stepparent adoption is finalized in California, the stepparent becomes the child’s legal parent in every sense — with full parental rights to custody, visitation, and decision-making authority regarding the child’s healthcare, education, and welfare. The child also gains inheritance rights from the stepparent and the stepparent’s family. The biological parent whose rights were terminated loses all legal connection to the child.

A private adoption — also called a contract adoption — is an adoption where the terms are negotiated directly between the biological mother and the adoptive parents, with the assistance of attorneys. The agreement is put in writing and governs the terms of the adoption. At Haslam Perri Law Firm, we represent clients in both stepparent adoptions and private contract adoptions, ensuring the process proceeds smoothly and all legal requirements are met.