Maine's Adoption Laws

• Adoption Records
• Consent To Adoption
• Parties To An Adoption
• Birth Father Statutes
• Adoption Expenses
• International Expenses
• General Adoption Statutes

Adoption Records

Maine

Statute: tit. 22, §§ 4008(1)-(3A); 4008-A

Records Confidential: Yes

Persons with access to records

• CPS/State Agencies

• Courts/Judges

• Grand Juries

• Law Enforcement

• Attorneys General/Prosecutors

• Attorneys, GAL's

• Physicians

• Reporters of Abuse

• Researchers

• Parents/Guardians

• Review Teams

• Treatment Providers

• Subject of Reports

• Public/Any Person

Persons without access to records

• Agencies From Other States

• Employers

• Coroners

Other State officials Commissioner of Education Prospective adoptive parents Tribal agencies Public disclosure in child fatality cases

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Consent to Adoption

The consent may be signed any time after the birth of the child.

Pre-consents are not allowed in the state of Maine.

Revocation Time Frame in Maine

The consent may be revoked up to 3 days after appearing in court.

Parties to an Adoption

Maine

• A husband and wife jointly

• An unmarried person

• Resident or nonresident

Any person, regardless of age

• The child's parent(s)

• Person or agency having legal custody of guardianship of the child

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Birth Father Statutes

No information currently available.

Adoption Expenses

Maine

1. • Actual cost of legal services related to consent
2. • Prenatal and postnatal counseling
3. • Prenatal, postnatal, and birthing medical costs for the mother
4. • Transportation to the services that are permitted
5. • Foster care for the child
6. • Reasonable living expenses for the birth mother and the child
7. • Counseling and legal fees for the birth father
8. • Fees to the placing agency

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed Statute: Tit.18-A, § 9-306(c) 

Other expenses or payments to the birth parents are not authorized.

 Not addressed in statutes reviewed

 Payments for allowable expenses may not be contingent upon any future decision a birth parent may make pertaining to the child.

1. • The fee for filing an adoption petition is $50.
2. • A fee is charged for the required State and Federal criminal history record check.

1. • The petitioner shall file a full accounting of all disbursements made or agreed to be made in connection with the adoption.
2. • The accounting must be signed under penalty of perjury and itemized.

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

International Expenses

No information currently available.

General Adoption Statutes

Maine

1. • Department of Human Services
2. • Child placement agency

1. • Entire medical, genetic, psychological, and developmental history
2. • History of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
3. • Immunizations and health care received
4. • Conditions and antecedents of the child

1. • Medical and genetic information
2. • Drugs taken during pregnancy
3. • Hereditary predispositions
4. • Drug or alcohol abuse
5. • Medical, psychological, and social history

1. • Screening for child abuse
2. • Criminal history check
3. • Suitability

© This information is from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

If you are an adoption professional and have updated information for this portion of our site let us know by contacting us at 1-800-ADOPTION or e-mail us at editors@americanadoptions.com.