{"data":{"id":"us-vt/15a-v.s.a.-4-102","jurisdiction":"us-vt","citation":"15A V.S.A. § 4-102","heading":"Legal consequences of adoption of stepchild","body":"(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the legal consequences of an adoption of a stepchild by a stepparent are the same as under sections 1-103 through 1-106 of this title.\n(b) An adoption by a stepparent does not affect:\n(1) the legal relationship between the adoptee and the adoptee’s parent who is the adoptive stepparent’s spouse or deceased spouse;\n(2) the right of the adoptee or a descendant of the adoptee to inheritance or intestate succession through or from the adoptee’s former parent; or\n(3) an existing court order for visitation or communication with a minor adoptee by a person related to the adoptee through the parent who is the adoptive stepparent’s spouse or deceased spouse; or\n(4) a court order or agreement for visitation or communication with a minor adoptee approved by the court pursuant to section 4-112 of this title.\n(c) Failure to comply with an agreement or order for visitation or communication is not a ground for challenging the validity of an adoption by a stepparent.","path":["Title 15A: Adoption Act","Chapter 004: Adoption of Minor Stepchild by Stepparent"],"source_url":"https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/15A/004","current_through":"2025 session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T17:17:00Z","sha256":"9aa7ebce63535ce40860cab1b625faabe56c597941940d2788795cc2b35e8189","source_id":"us-vt","stale":false,"prev":"us-vt/15a-v.s.a.-4-101","next":"us-vt/15a-v.s.a.-4-103"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}