Reportedly, about 50 percent of all adoptions nationwide, including in California, involve stepchildren. Stepparent adoption can serve different purposes. It could follow the death of the biological parent, or a person marrying someone who has children from a previous relationship or marriage. In many cases, the children have endured traumatic times, and the adoption may bring stability and permanence into his or her life.
Stepparent adoption is easier with skilled legal counsel
Stepparent adoption is a significant decision to make
If a person in California marries another person who already has a child, the new spouse will have no parental rights to the stepchild. This can have devastating consequences if something should happen to the custodial parent of the child. The court may then rule that the child's other biological parent should have custody. Fortunately, stepparent adoption provides the non-biological parent the opportunity to step in and play a nurturing role in the child's life.
