Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2022 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
1. Allowable payments by or on behalf of petitioner. Except when one of the petitioners is a blood relative of the adoptee or the adoptee is an adult, only the following expenses may be paid by or on behalf of a petitioner in any proceeding under this Article:
A. The actual cost of legal services related to the surrender and release or the consent and to the adoption process;
B. Prenatal and postnatal counseling expenses for the person giving birth to the child;
C. Prenatal, birthing and other related medical expenses for the person giving birth to the child;
D. Necessary transportation expenses to obtain the services listed in paragraphs A, B and C;
E. Foster care expenses for the child;
F. Necessary living expenses for the person giving birth to the child and the child;
G. For a putative parent, legal and counseling expenses related to the surrender and release, the consent and the adoption process; and
H. Fees to a licensed child-placing agency providing services in connection with the pending adoption.
2. Full accounting of disbursements by petitioner. Prior to the dispositional hearing pursuant to section 9-308, the petitioner shall file a full accounting of all disbursements of anything of value made or agreed to be made by or on behalf of the petitioner in connection with the adoption. The accounting report must be signed under penalty of perjury and must be submitted to the court on or before the date the final decree is granted. The accounting report must be itemized and show the services related to the adoption or to the placement of the adoptee for adoption that were received by the adoptee's parents, by the adoptee or on behalf of the petitioner. The accounting must include the dates of each payment and the names and addresses of each attorney, physician, hospital, licensed child-placing agency or other person or organization who received funds or anything of value from the petitioner in connection with the adoption or the placement of the adoptee with the petitioner or participated in any way in the handling of the funds, either directly or indirectly. This subsection does not apply when one of the petitioners is a blood relative or the adoptee is an adult.
3. Payments not contingent; other expenses and payments prohibited. Payment for expenses allowable under subsection 1 may not be contingent upon any future decision a parent might make pertaining to the child. Other expenses or payments to parents are not authorized.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maine Revised Statutes Title 18-C. Probate Code § 9-306. Allowable payments; expenses - last updated January 01, 2022 | https://codes.findlaw.com/me/title-18-c-probate-code/me-rev-st-tit-18-c-sect-9-306/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)