APPROVED CHAPTER
APRIL 11, 2025 20
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 587 - L.D. 922
An Act to Amend the Procedure for Filing a Petition to Terminate Parental
Rights and Responsibilities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §1658, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 340, §2, is
amended to read:
1-A. Filing and contents of petition. A petition to terminate parental rights and
responsibilities must be filed in the District Court and in the same case as a prior
adjudication of parental rights and responsibilities, if any. The petition must be sworn and
must include at least the following:
A. The name and date and place of birth of the child;
B. The name and address of the petitioner and the nature of the petitioner's relationship
to the child;
C. The name of each of the child's parents;
D. A summary statement of the alleged facts that the petitioner believes constitute
grounds for termination under subsection 2;
E. A statement of the effects of a termination order; and
F. A statement that the parent whose rights and responsibilities are the subject of the
petition to terminate parental rights and responsibilities is entitled to legal counsel in
the termination proceedings and that, if the parent wants an attorney and is unable to
afford one, the parent should contact the court as soon as possible to request appointed
counsel.
Page 1 - 132LR0455(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 20: 19-A.1658