An Act To Remove the Age Limit Governing When a Court Must Consider the Wishes of a Child in a Proceeding for the Termination of Parental Rights
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4055, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 715, Pt. A, §12, is further amended to read:
3. Wishes of child. The court shall consider, but is not bound by, the wishes of a child 12 years of age or older in making an order under this section.
summary
This bill removes the age limit governing when a court must consider the wishes of a child in a proceeding for the termination of parental rights. Current law requires a court to consider the wishes of a child 12 years of age or older in such a proceeding.