| The custody laws in Maine that regulate how parents | | | | if one of the children's parents have died, if the |
| must make a custody and visitation schedule are | | | | grandparent and the child have a significant |
| found in Title 19-A of the Maine Revised Statutes. | | | | relationship, or if that relationship between the |
| This section of law contains information about | | | | grandparent and the child doesn't exist then the |
| different items that influence how the custody | | | | grandparent has made an effort to begin one. The |
| schedule is made. Some of these items include how | | | | court will grand visitation if it finds that it is in the |
| the custodial parent is chosen, grandparent visitation, | | | | best interest of the child to do so. If a grandparent is |
| and the factors the parents must consider when | | | | given visitation, the schedule must be made to |
| making the schedule. Here is what the law says | | | | accommodate it. |
| about these topics and what parents should know as | | | | 3. Factors that affect the best interest of the child. |
| they make the visitation schedule. | | | | Part 3 of Section 1653 gives a list of factors that the |
| 1. The custodial parent. The biggest decision that | | | | court considers when determining the best interest |
| parents face when making a custody schedule is | | | | of the child. These are also the factors that parents |
| choosing the custodial parent. In Maine, both parents | | | | should consider as they make the custody schedule, |
| have an equal right to be the custodial parent--there | | | | because it determines the place where the child |
| is no preference given based on the gender of the | | | | should live and spend time. These factors include: the |
| parent. Section 1653 of Title 19-A outlines the rights | | | | age and preference of the child, the parents' |
| and responsibilities that both parents have toward | | | | relationship with the child, the child's adjustment to |
| the children. Parents are encouraged to share the | | | | different living circumstances, the duration and |
| right of primary residency--this means that the child | | | | adequacy of the child's current living situation, the |
| spends significant time with both parents. If it is | | | | stability of the proposed custody and visitation |
| better for the child to have one parent as the | | | | schedule, the ability of the parents to cooperate, the |
| primary residence, the other parent should have | | | | ability of the parents to encourage the child to have |
| ample visitation in the schedule. | | | | contact with the other parent, if there has been any |
| 2. Grandparent visitation. Section 1803 of Title 19-A | | | | history of domestic abuse, etc. |
| explains that a grandparent may petition for visitation | | | | |