{"data":{"id":"us-mt/42-2-501","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"42-2-501","heading":"Timing of proceedings to terminate.","body":"(1) In order to provide notice to a putative father at the earliest possible time of an expectant mother's intent to release an expected child for adoption and in order to facilitate early placement of a child for adoption, an expectant mother may initiate proceedings to terminate paternal rights by filing a petition of intent to place a child for adoption prior to the birth of the child.\n(2) A petition to terminate parental rights may also be filed after a child is born.","path":["TITLE 42. ADOPTION","CHAPTER 2. ADOPTION OF CHILD","Part 5. Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0420/chapter_0020/part_0050/section_0010/0420-0020-0050-0010.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:55:16Z","sha256":"62975b090652b18f8a65f2b8dbb51d05525ab4dac1c977516660e026ed76f8f8","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/42-2-422","next":"us-mt/42-2-502"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}