{"data":{"id":"us-mt/42-2-602","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"42-2-602","heading":"Necessity for parental rights to be terminated.","body":"A child is not legally free for adoption until the parental rights of the birth parent or parents have been terminated by a court:\n(1) as provided in this title;\n(2) pursuant to Title 41, chapter 3; or\n(3) of competent jurisdiction in another state or country.","path":["TITLE 42. ADOPTION","CHAPTER 2. ADOPTION OF CHILD","Part 6. Petition to Terminate Parental Rights"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0420/chapter_0020/part_0060/section_0020/0420-0020-0060-0020.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:55:16Z","sha256":"423d214a554b573c994f9469863ed409f17ff0c87779fa95994a97aed56520c8","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/42-2-601","next":"us-mt/42-2-603"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}