Opinion ID: 1542725
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Unwillingness or Inability to Take Responsibility for the Child

Text: [¶ 33] Relying on In re John Joseph V., 500 A.2d 628, 630 (Me.1985), the father argues that the court's findings that he has no relationship with the child and has never taken responsibility for Lily do not support the determination, by clear and convincing evidence, that he is unwilling or unable to take responsibility for the child, particularly when the father testified that he is now employed and would like to pay child support. The father also argues that the court erred by placing the burden on him to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he had the ability to take responsibility for Lily rather than placing the burden on the mother to show otherwise. [¶ 34] In In re John Joseph V., we concluded that the record did not contain clear and convincing evidence that the father was unable to take responsibility for the child because, even though the record showed that the father was neglectful in paying child support and in maintaining contact with the child, the mother also purposefully resolved to close all avenues of contact between the father and child. 500 A.2d at 630. However, in that case, the father regularly paid child support until he was denied contact with the child and much of the evidence in the case went to the best interests of the child inquiry rather than the inability to take responsibility inquiry. Id. Furthermore, the father in that case lived or visited with the child for the first four-plus years of the child's life, had visitation rights following his divorce from the child's mother, and traveled to Maine in an effort to locate the child when the mother made it difficult for him to contact the child. Id. at 629. These facts distinguish In re John Joseph V. from the case now before us. [¶ 35] The Probate Court found that there was no testimony as to how [the father] would meet Lily's needs and that [h]e did not propose a plan for accommodating her. The court also found that the father has no relationship with the child, has never seen or spoken to her, has sent her no cards or gifts, has never inquired into her school or activities, and has never taken responsibility for her health or welfare. These facts constitute clear and convincing evidence upon which the court based its conclusion that the father has been unwilling or unable to take responsibility for Lily within a time that is reasonably calculated to meet the child's needs.