2010 Maine Code
TITLE 18-A: PROBATE CODE
Article 9: ADOPTION
18-A §9-102. Definitions

Part 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS HEADING: PL 1995, C. 694, PT. C, §7 (NEW)

§9-102. Definitions

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]

(a). "Adoptee" means a person who will be or who has been adopted, regardless of whether the person is a child or an adult.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(b). "Adoption services" means services related to adoptions, including but not limited to adoptive home studies, search services and adoption counseling services.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(c). "Adult" means a person who is 18 years of age or older.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(d). "Child" means a person who is under 18 years of age.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(e). "Consent," used as a noun, means a voluntary agreement to an adoption by a specific petitioner that is executed by a parent or custodian of the adoptee.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(f). "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF); 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV) .]

(g). "Licensed child-placing agency" means an agency, person, group of persons, organization, association or society licensed to operate in this State pursuant to Title 22, chapter 1671.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(h). "Parent" means the legal parent or the legal guardian when no legal parent exists.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(i). "Petitioner" means a person filing a petition to adopt an adult or child, and includes both petitioners under a joint petition, except as otherwise provided.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(j). "Putative father" means a man who is the alleged biological father of a child but whose paternity has not been legally established.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

(k). "Surrender and release," used as a noun, means a voluntary relinquishment of all parental rights to a child to the department or a licensed child-placing agency for the purpose of placement for adoption.

[ 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §7 (NEW); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF) .]

SECTION HISTORY

1995, c. 694, §C7 (NEW). 1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF). 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV).