Legal Information: Maine

Custody

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Updated: 
August 25, 2023

What are “parental rights and responsibilities?” Is it the same thing as custody?

The Maine courts have replaced the term “custody” with the phrase “parental rights and responsibilities.” This term refers to the legal authority to care for a child and to make major decisions about the child’s life and wellbeing, such as where your child lives, his/her religious upbringing, healthcare, and education.1

1 M.R.S. 19-A § 1501(1)

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