18-C M.R.S. §9-106: Legal representation

1. Attorney for parents. The parents are entitled to an attorney for any hearing held pursuant to this Article. If a parent or putative parent wants an attorney but is unable to afford one, the parent or the putative parent may request the court to appoint an attorney. If the court finds the requesting party indigent, the court shall appoint and pay the reasonable costs and expenses of the attorney of the indigent party. The attorney may not be the attorney for the adoptive parents.

2. Attorney for minor indigent parent. When the adoptee is unrelated to the petitioner, the court shall appoint an attorney who is not the attorney for the adoptive parents to represent a minor indigent parent at every stage of the proceedings unless the minor indigent parent refuses representation or the court determines that representation is unnecessary.