Opinion ID: 1493723
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Constitutional Issue on Appeal

Text: [¶ 5] Patricia's motion to dismiss contended that section 1803(1)(A) is unconstitutional on its face and as applied under the due process and equal protection clauses of the United States and Maine Constitutions. We need not address all of these issues. First, we do not address Patricia's facial challenge to the statute. We note that nothing in the Act limits grandparent visitation petitions to situations where the child is in the custody of a biological or adoptive parent. To find section 1803(1)(A) is unconstitutional on its face, we would need to conclude that there are no circumstances in which it would be valid. United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739, 745, 107 S.Ct. 2095, 95 L.Ed.2d 697 (1987), cited in In re Heather C., 2000 ME 99, ¶ 20, n. 7, 751 A.2d 448, 454. To do this, we would need to explore the very different issues that would be raised by a petition to require visitation against the wishes of a nonparent custodian such as a legal guardian. Because this case can be resolved on an as-applied basis, we have no reason to address such issues. [¶ 6] Second, we do not address the validity of the statute under the Maine Constitution. Patricia has not argued that the Maine due process and equal protection clauses provide her with any greater protection than their federal counterparts, cf. Carroll F. Look Constr. Co. v. Town of Beals, 2002 ME 128, ¶ 17, 802 A.2d 994, 999 (stating that federal and Maine due process rights are coextensive); Botting v. Dep't of Behavioral & Developmental Servs., 2003 ME 152, ¶ 23, 838 A.2d 1168, 1176 (stating that federal and Maine equal protection rights are coextensive), and the parties have not pressed any state constitutional arguments on appeal. Finally, our disposition of Patricia's due process argument makes it unnecessary for us to address her equal protection argument. Our discussion is thus confined to the issue of whether section 1803(1)(A), as applied in this case, violates Patricia's federal due process rights. [3]