Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 1652 – Spouse’s or parent’s obligation to support

1. Petition. If a parent, spouse or child resides in this State, a parent, a spouse, a guardian or a state providing maintenance may petition the District Court or Probate Court to order a nonsupporting parent or spouse to contribute to the support of the nonsupporting person‘s spouse or child. The petition may be brought in the court in the district or county where the parent, spouse or child resides or in the district or county in which the nonsupporting person may be found.

[PL 2001, c. 554, §7 (AMD).]

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 1652

Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Child support: means money paid directly to a parent, to another person or agency awarded parental rights and responsibilities with respect to a child or to the department on behalf of a child receiving public assistance and medical or dental insurance coverage provided on behalf of a child pursuant to court order. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 1501
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
Parent: means the legal parent or the legal guardian when no legal parent exists. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 101
Person: means an individual, trust, estate, partnership, association, company, corporation, political subdivision of the State, instrumentality of the State or other entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 101
Probate: Proving a will
state: means any state, territory or possession of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A Sec. 101

2. Court action. If the court finds that the nonsupporting person is of sufficient ability or is able to labor and provide for that person’s children or spouse, and that the person has willfully and without reasonable cause refused or neglected to so provide, then the court may order the person to contribute to the support of that person’s children or spouse in regular amounts that it determines reasonable and just. Child support must be determined or modified in accordance with chapter 63.