What Is a Maine Minor Power of Attorney?
A Maine minor power of attorney, also called a Delegation by Parent or Guardian, lets you delegate a trusted agent to handle aspects of your child’s care. As the principal, you can control the level of authority they have. Allow them to make decisions regarding your child’s schooling, education, and daily care. You’re free to implement any limits you’d like to ensure you retain control.
A Maine child power of attorney helps you grant authority without involving the court. The agent will have authority simultaneously with you, but they can act if you’re temporarily unavailable due to travel, work, or illness.
A minor power of attorney in Maine cannot be used to consent to the child’s marriage or adoption. Furthermore, it cannot terminate parental rights. As the parent, you keep your rights and can override the agent’s decision at any point.
If You Need a Longer Lasting Solution
A Maine minor power of attorney is designed as a short-term solution for parental absence. If you need longer-term care for your child, pursue temporary guardianship. You can file a formal guardianship petition through the Probate Court or District Court in your county.
Legal Requirements for a Minor Power of Attorney in Maine
18-C ME Rev Stat § 5-127 guides the delegation by parent or guardian, but its execution is governed by the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act. According to 18-C ME Rev Stat § 5-905, a Maine minor power of attorney must be notarized by a notary public. The minor POA must contain your signature as the parent. If both parents are involved, the other parent should also sign.
Use Legal Templates’s notary acknowledgment form to fulfill the notarization requirement for a Maine minor POA.
How Long Does a Maine Child Power of Attorney Last?
18-C ME Rev Stat § 5-127(1) implements a 12-month restriction on Maine child powers of attorney. If 12 months pass and you want the agent to continue to have authority, you must write and execute a new document granting them a new 12-month authority period.
If you are a member of the National Guard or Reserves and are called to active duty for more than 30 days, your minor POA will not expire while you are away. Even if the document has a set end date, 18-C ME Rev Stat § 5-127(2) automatically extends it until 30 days after your active service ends. This special extension applies if you are activated for mandatory missions, national emergencies, or war.
If you no longer want your agent to have decision-making authority over your child, you can revoke your minor POA with a power of attorney revocation form.
Sample Minor Power of Attorney in Maine
View an example of our minor power of attorney in Maine to see how to assign temporary parental authority over your child. Then, customize your own using Legal Templates’s guided form. The final document will be ready to download in PDF or Word format. Distribute copies as needed to your agent, your child’s schools, and doctors, and keep a copy for your records as well.
