Stepparent and Relative Adoption

A step-parent adoption is the easiest type of adoption in Minnesota in terms of the legal process. In this type of adoption, the court can waive the requirement that the adoptive family have an adoption study done, but background checks will still be required.

Most courts will do this as long as the step-parent has been married to the legal parent for more than three months. If an adoption study is required, it is usually done by the adoptive parent’s county social services.

If the birth father of the child is listed on the birth certificate, was married to the birth mother, was adjudicated the father by a court, or has paid child support, his rights must be dealt with before the step-father can adopt the child.

This can be done either voluntarily by the birth father signing a Consent to Adoption or involuntarily by a court finding that he has “abandoned” the child. Usually abandonment means he has had no contact with the child and/or not paid any support for the child for at least six months.