Stepparent Adoption Attorney Fircrest, WA

Last updated on September 22, 2025

When you or your spouse has children from a previous partner, fostering a relationship between the new parents and children can be difficult. However, once that relationship flourishes, a lot of families wish to make the parent-child relationship permanent and familial. At Christina T. Sherman, PLLC, in Fircrest, Washington, we want to help stepparents with adopting a stepchild.

Whether you’re a stepparent seeking to legally solidify your bond with your stepchild or a biological parent looking to involve your child’s loving stepparent in their life, our legal team is here to provide the support and legal representation you deserve.

The Termination Of Parental Rights

The first step in a stepparent adoption is to terminate the parental rights of the nonparenting birth parent. Whether or not a stepparent adoption is even possible depends almost entirely on whether the parental rights of the “nonparenting” legal parent may be terminated. Let’s be clear, this is a very difficult hurdle.

However, if the “nonparenting” legal parent has failed to perform their parental duties with a substantial disregard for those duties, terminating their legal parental rights may be feasible. While a stepparent adoption can easily be contentious, our adoption lawyer has more than 20 years of helping families successfully pursue adoptions, including contested adoptions and stepparent adoptions. Even if litigation becomes necessary, our attorney is a tough legal advocate trial who approaches each case with dedication and compassion.

Completing A Background Check

It is important to remember that you do not need to be perfect for stepparent adoptions to proceed. While an investigation of the stepparent is required for the adoption, it is all done for the best interests of the child. If there is something in your past that worries you, we will work through it together. In many cases, it is not a deal-breaker, and having an adoption lawyer advocating on your behalf will give you a better chance for success. We are always ready to fight for you and your family whenever it becomes necessary.

Legally Adopting A Stepchild

Once your stepchild is legally free of the other biological parent, and your background check has been completed, the court must determine that the adoption is in your child’s best interest. To make the finding, the court relies upon a report by an adoption social worker. We guide you through the adoption process and provide all of the contacts and resources necessary to make everything as quick and efficient as possible.

We understand the significance of a stepparent adoption and the impact it can have on your family’s life. Our adoption attorney is well-versed in the intricacies of adoption law and has a proven track record of success helping families grow, despite the legally complex and contentious cases, like stepparent adoptions can sometimes turn out to be.

Frequently Asked Adoption Questions

It is very normal to have numerous questions when pursuing a stepparent adoption in Washington. Our team is here to help and provide answers, so below are some of the most common questions we see:

What happens if the biological parent does not consent to the adoption?

One necessary step for an adoption is that the biological parent has to consent to the process and give up their parental rights. If they refuse to do so, adoption may be impossible. One alternative, though, is to file a petition with the court asking them to terminate the other biological parent’s rights. This is not something the court does lightly, but it may be done if it can be shown that doing so would be in the child’s best interests such as if there are potential health and safety issues. Every case is unique, but we can help you determine the best path forward.

What impact does stepparent adoption have on inheritance and legal rights?

An adoption switches these legal rights from one parent to the other. Previously, the biological parent would have had a right to make medical decisions on the child’s behalf, for example, but this right switches to the stepparent after the adoption. Likewise, the child will be able to inherit from their stepparent and may be cut off from their biological parent’s inheritance, at least if it is done through state law. Naturally, that biological parent could still choose to include their child in their estate plan as a beneficiary if they so wish.

Can I adopt my stepchild if their biological parent is absent or unknown in Washington state?

It is possible, but extra steps are needed. As noted above, you may have to petition for the termination of that person’s parental rights. This could be done on the grounds of abandonment or neglect, for example. You may need to demonstrate that you have made good faith efforts to contact the biological parent and that you have been unable to do so. If the adoption is in the child’s best interests, the court can then terminate that parent’s rights and move forward.

We hope this helps you get the process started. If you have any further questions, we would be more than happy to answer them at an initial consultation.

Work With Our Tacoma-Based Adoption Attorney Today

If you are thinking about pursuing a stepparent adoption, our stepparent adoption attorney can guide you through the process with compassion and an in-depth knowledge of Washington’s adoption laws. Together, we can make your stepparent adoption dreams a reality.

To schedule an initial consultation, you can call us or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to answering your questions and explaining how we can help you with your case.