What are the adoption laws in Maine?

Maine's adoption laws for stepparents are found in Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C, Article 9, and a stepparent adoption is filed in the Probate Court in your county. Maine has 16 counties, each with its own Probate Court, so you file where your family is located. Here is how the main points work.

Residency. Maine has no minimum residency period before you can file (18-C M.R.S. § 9-301). You don't have to wait a set number of months after moving to the state.

Child's consent. A child who is 12 or older has a consent role in the adoption (18-C M.R.S. § 9-302). For younger children, the court clerk can tell you what the court will expect.

Abandonment. Maine's abandonment period is 6 months (18-C M.R.S. § 9-204; 22 M.R.S. § 4002(1-A)). It matters if the other birth parent has been out of the child's life. Whether your situation fits depends on the specific facts, so ask the Probate Court clerk or an attorney about it.

Home study. A home study is waived in Maine stepparent adoptions (18-C M.R.S. § 9-304). That means no social worker visit to your home as part of this process.

Timeline. A stepparent adoption in Maine typically takes about 3-6 months. An adult adoption is faster, at about 4-8 weeks. Timing varies with the court's calendar and your paperwork.

Contested cases and unknown parents. If the other birth parent objects, can't be found, or you aren't sure who the other legal parent is, the outcome depends on the details. Maine law on those points should be confirmed with the Probate Court clerk or an attorney who handles adoptions.

Court fees. Filing fees are set by the court, so the clerk in your county can give you the current amount.

After the adoption. Once the court finalizes the adoption, the Maine Office of Vital Records is the agency that handles birth records. Contact them about a new birth certificate for your child.

What you'll typically do:

• Gather basic information about your family, the child, and the other birth parent.
• Prepare the petition and supporting forms for your county's Probate Court.
• File the paperwork with the clerk and follow the court's instructions for any hearing.
• Keep a copy of the final decree for school, medical and other records.

How we help. StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county. You then file it yourself without an attorney. The price is $349 for the first child (or for one adult adoptee) and $99 for each additional child. Court-ready documents are delivered within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions, and they come with a 100% court acceptance guarantee. We have helped 151 Maine families, and 34,000+ families nationwide since 2001.