Adoption And Parental Rights

Summary

In Washington State, a deceased adoptive parent remains a legal parent even if the surviving spouse remarries and the new spouse adopts the child. The new spouses adoption does not alter the deceased parents legal status.

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Seattle
Hello Abby, in Washington state:
- The deceased spouse remains a legal parent.
- The new spouse can adopt the child, becoming an additional parent.
This doesn't remove the deceased spouse's parental status.
Even if the deceased spouse died and he adopted the child with the living parent not biological
Hello Abby, even in that case, under Washington State law, the deceased adoptive parent would still be considered a legal parent. The new spouse's adoption does not change that.