Second Parent Adoption

Second-parent adoption is a court process in which one partner adopts the child of the other, giving both adults full legal parental status while keeping the original parent's rights intact. It has been an essential tool for LGBTQ+ families, especially where only one parent is biologically or legally recognized. Before nationwide marriage equality in the United States in 2015, it was one of the main ways same-sex couples could secure legal ties between a child and a non-biological parent. Even now, family-law experts recommend it as a safeguard, because a court-issued adoption is recognized across all states and protects the non-biological parent if the family moves, separates, or faces a legal challenge to their parentage.