Do step-parents have any legal obligation to their step-children?
<p>Suppose Billy marries Suzie and they have a son, Bobby. Then Suzie dies. Billy remarries Bonnie and Billy, Bonnie, and Bobby live together as a family for years, but Bonnie never adopts Bobby. Then Billy dies while Bobby is still a minor.</p>
<p>Could Bonnie theoretically just drop Bobby off at an orphanage?</p>

<h2>Yes and no</h2>
<p><a href="/questions/tagged/australia" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;australia&#39;" rel="tag">australia</a></p>
<p>Under the <em>Family Law Act</em>, a step-parent is <a href="https://stepfamily.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/stepparent-rights-and-responsibilities_web.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">legally</a> a relative of the child but they are not automatically a guardian. So they have the same rights and responsibilities as an aunt, uncle, grandparent etc.</p>
<p>So they can disclaim responsibility and hand that over to another relative or the state but they cannot abandon or neglect the child. But then, a biological or adoptive parent can do this.</p>

united-states children oregon