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United States — Maine legislation

Maine Revised Statutes, Title 18-C, § 9-102: Definitions, 2017

This section defines key terms used in the Article.

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Jurisdiction
United States — Maine
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1 provisions
Official identity
Year 2017
Dates
Enacted 2017 · Source version 1 Oct 2025
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Dates
Enacted 2017 · Source version 1 Oct 2025
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“This section defines key terms used in the Article.”

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Definitions

This section defines key terms used in the Article.

Section 9-102

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Source record from legislature.maine.gov · Enacted 2017 · Source version 1 Oct 2025

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Part 1

part 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 9-102DefinitionsInterpretation

Source excerpt

This section defines key terms used in the Article.

As used in this Article, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 1. Adoptee. "Adoptee" means a person who will be or who has been adopted, regardless of whether the person is a child or an adult. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 2. Adult. "Adult" means a person who is 18 years of age or older. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 3. Child. "Child" means a person who is under 18 years of age. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 4. Consent. "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. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 5. Department. "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 6. Licensed child-placing agency. "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. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 7. Parent. "Parent" means a person who, with respect to a child: A. Has established parentage pursuant to Title 19‑A, chapter 61; or [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] B. When no person described in paragraph A exists, is the legal guardian of the child. [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).] 8. Petitioner. "Petitioner" means a person filing a petition to adopt an adult or a child, and includes both petitioners under a joint petition, except as otherwise provided in this Article. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 9. Putative parent. "Putative parent" means a person who is the alleged parent of a child but whose parentage has not been but may be legally determined in accordance with Title 19‑A, chapter 61. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] 10. Surrender and release. "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. [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).]
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