PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Revise the Grandparents Visitation Act
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  19-A MRSA §1802, sub-§2  is enacted to read:
 
2.  Sufficient existing relationship.     "Sufficient existing relationship" means a relationship involving extraordinary contact between a grandparent and a child, including but not limited to circumstances in which the grandparent has been a primary caregiver and custodian of the child for a significant period of time.
Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §1803, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:
 
1. Standing to seek grandparent visitation rights.   A grandparent of a minor child may petition the courthas standing to initiate and maintain an action for reasonable rights of visitation or access if:
 
A.  At least one of the child's parents or legal guardians has died;
 
B. There is a sufficient existing relationship between the grandparent and the child; or
 
C.  When a sufficient existing relationship between the grandparent and the child does not exist, a sufficient effort to establish one has been made.
 
D.  Any other compelling state interest justifies the court's interference with the parent's fundamental right to deny the grandparent access to the child.
Sec. 3. 19-A MRSA §1803, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 360, §3, is further amended to read:
 
2. Procedure.   The following procedures apply to petitions for rights of visitation or access under subsection 1, paragraph B or C.
 
A. TheA grandparent mustseeking rights of visitation or access shall file with the petition for rights of visitation or accessinitial pleadings an affidavit alleging a sufficient existing relationship with the child, or that sufficient efforts have been made to establish a relationship with the child. When the petition and accompanying affidavit are filed with the court, the grandparent shall serve a copy of both on at least one of the parents or legal guardians of the childunder oath sufficient facts to support the grandparent's standing under subsection 1. The pleadings and affidavit must be served upon all parents and legal guardians of the child.
 
B. TheA parent or legal guardian of the child may filewho files a pleading in response to the pleadings in paragraph A shall also file an affidavit in response to the grandparent's petition and accompanying affidavit. When the affidavit in response is filed with the court, the parent or legal guardian shall deliver a copy to the grandparent, serving all parties to the proceeding with a copy.
 
C. The court shall determine on the basis of the petitionpleadings and the affidavitaffidavits under paragraphs A and B whether it is more likely than not that there is a sufficient existing relationship or, if a sufficient relationship does not exist, that a sufficient effort to establish one has been madethe grandparent has presented prima facie evidence of standing under subsection 1. The court may in its sole discretion, if necessary and on an expedited basis, hold a hearing to determine disputed facts that are necessary and material to the issue of standing.
 
D. If the court's determination under paragraph C is in the affirmative, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem as provided in section 1507. The court shall hold a hearing on the grandparent's petition for reasonable rights of visitation or access and shall consider any objections the parents or legal guardians may have concerning the award of rights of visitation or access to the grandparent. If the court has appointed a guardian ad litem, the court shall also consider the report of the guardian ad litem. The standard for the award of reasonable rights of visitation or access is provided in subsection 3.
Sec. 4. 19-A MRSA §1803, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c. 665, §§5 and 6, is further amended to read:
 
3. Best interest of the child.   The court may grant a grandparent reasonable rights of visitation or access to a minor child upon finding that the grandparent has standing under subsection 1 and that granting the grandparent reasonable rights of visitation or access areis in the best interest of the child and would not significantly interfere with any parent-child relationship or with the parent's rightful authority over the child. In applying this standarddeciding whether granting the grandparent reasonable rights of visitation or access is in the best interest of the child and whether it would significantly interfere with the parent-child relationship or with the parent's rightful authority over the child, the court shall consider the following factors:
 
A. The age of the child;
 
B. The relationship of the child with the child's grandparents, including the amount of previous contact;
 
B-1.  Whether one or more of the child's parents or legal guardians has died;
 
C. The preference of the child, if old enough to express a meaningful preference;
 
D. The duration and adequacy of the child's current living arrangements and the desirability of maintaining continuity;
 
E. The stability of any proposed living arrangements for the child;
 
F. The motivation of the parties involved and their capacities to give the child love, affection and guidance;
 
G. The child's adjustment to the child's present home, school and community;
 
H. The capacity of the parent and grandparent to cooperate or to learn to cooperate in child care;
 
I. Methods of assisting cooperation and resolving disputes and each person's willingness to use those methods;
 
J. Any other factor having a reasonable bearing on the physical and psychological well-being of the child; and
 
K. The existence of a grandparent's conviction for a sex offense or a sexually violent offense as those terms are defined in Title 34-A, section 11203.
Sec. 5. 19-A MRSA §1804, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:
The court may refer the parties to mediation at any time after the petition is fileda court determination pursuant to section 1803, subsection 2, paragraph C that the grandparent has standing and may require that the parties have made a good faith effort to mediate the issue before holding a hearing. If the court finds that either party failed to make a good faith effort to mediate, the court may order the parties to submit to mediation, dismiss the action or any part of the action, render a decision or judgment by default, assess attorney's fees and costs or impose any other sanction that is appropriate in the circumstances. The court may also impose an appropriate sanction upon a party's failure without good cause to appear for mediation after receiving notice of the scheduled time for mediation.
Sec. 6.  19-A MRSA §1806  is enacted to read:
§ 1806. Other actions
Nothing in this chapter limits a grandparent's ability to file any action not governed by the provisions of this chapter with respect to a child, including but not limited to an action to establish de facto parentage of a child under section 1891, an action for guardianship of a child under Title 18-A, Article 5 and a child protection petition under Title 22, section 4032, subsection 1, paragraph C.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 128th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.