Do I have to be married for my partner to adopt my child?
Yes. The state only allows the spouse of a biological parent to adopt the child.
Do I have to have the consent of the other biological parent for my spouse to adopt the child?
It depends. If the other biological parent has not provided support or has not seen the child for one year, you may proceed without consent. However, the other parent must be notified and may challenge his or her lack of support or interaction with the child. If the custodial parent has prohibited interaction between the child and the other parent, willful lack of contact will not be found.
Can my spouse adopt if I do not know where the other biological parent is?
Yes. You have to make a good faith effort to locate the other parent and serve notice of the adoption. If no valid address can be found, service by publication may be done. However, the other parent may later contest the adoption if he or she shows their location was readily determinable.
