2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 18-C: PROBATE CODE › Article 9: ADOPTION › Part 3: ADOPTION PROCEDURES › 18-C §9-308. Final decree; dispositional hearing; effect of adoption

§9-308. Final decree; dispositional hearing; effect of adoption
1.  Final decree of adoption; requirements.
The court shall grant a final decree of adoption if the petitioner who filed the petition has been heard or has waived hearing and the court is satisfied from the hearing or record that:
A. All necessary consents, relinquishments or terminations of parental rights have been duly executed and filed with the court;   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
B. An adoption study, when required by section 9‑304, has been filed with the court;   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
C. A list of all disbursements as required by section 9‑306 has been filed with the court;   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
D. The petitioner is a suitable adopting parent and desires to establish a parent-child relationship with the adoptee;   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
E. The best interest of the adoptee, described in subsection 2, is served by the adoption;   [RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. A, §22 (COR).]
F. The petitioner has acknowledged that the petitioner understands that the transfer of the long-term care and custody of an adoptee who is a minor child without a court order is prohibited under Title 17‑A, section 553, subsection 1, paragraphs C and D; and   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
G. All requirements of this Article have been met.   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
[RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. A, §22 (COR).]
2.  Best interest of adoptee.
In determining the best interest of an adoptee, the court shall consider and evaluate the following factors to give the adoptee a permanent home at the earliest possible date:
A. The love, affection and other emotional ties existing between the adoptee and the adopting person or persons, a parent or a putative parent;   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
B. The capacity and disposition of the adopting person or persons, the parent or parents or the putative parent to educate and give the adoptee love, affection and guidance and to meet the needs of the adoptee. An adoption may not be delayed or denied because the adoptive parent and the adoptee do not share the same race, color or national origin; and   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
C. The capacity and disposition of the adopting person or persons, the parent or parents or the putative parent to provide the adoptee with food, clothing and other material needs, education, permanence and medical care or other remedial care recognized and permitted in place of medical care under the laws of this State.   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
3.  Findings; decree; confidentiality.
The court shall enter its findings in a written final decree that includes the new name of the adoptee. The final decree must further order that from the date of the decree the adoptee is the child of the petitioner and must be accorded the status set forth in section 9‑105. If the court determines that it is in the best interest of the adoptee, the court may require that the names of the adoptee and of the petitioner be kept confidential.
[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
4.  Notice to parents.
Upon completion of an adoption proceeding, the parents who consented to an adoption or who executed a surrender and release must be notified by the court of the completion by regular mail at their last known address. Notice under this subsection is not required to a parent who is also a petitioner. When the parents' rights have been terminated pursuant to Title 22, section 4055, the notice must be given to the department and the department shall notify the parents of the completion by regular mail at their last known address. Actual receipt of the notice is not a precondition of completion and does not affect the rights or responsibilities of adoptees or adoptive parents.
[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
5.  Notice to grandparents.
The department shall notify the grandparents of a child when the child is placed for adoption if the department has received notice that the grandparents were granted reasonable rights of visitation or access under Title 19‑A, chapter 59 or Title 22, section 4005‑E.
[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
6.  Effect of adoption.
An order granting the adoption has the following effect:
A. An order granting the adoption of the child by the petitioner divests the parent and child of all legal rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties and obligations to each other as parent and child, except an adoptee inherits from the adoptee's former parents if provided in the adoption decree.   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
B. An adoption order may not disentitle a child to benefits due the child from any 3rd person, agency or state or the United States and may not affect the rights and benefits that a Native American derives from descent from a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe.   [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
[PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF). RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. A, §22 (COR).