CHAPTER 142

S.P. 397 - L.D. 1192

An Act To Enhance Juvenile Rehabilitation

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 15 MRSA §3304, sub-§6-A, as amended by PL 1987, c. 720, §2, is further amended to read:

6-A. Attendance of parent, guardian or legal custodian; contempt. The parent, guardian or legal custodian shall appear in response to the summons served pursuant to subsection 5 and shall attend all proceedings concerning the juvenile. The failure of a parent, guardian or legal custodian to appear in response to the summons or for a later hearing, or the inability to serve such a party, shall may not prevent the court from continuing with the proceedings against a juvenile who is before the court, except as required in section 3314, subsection 1, paragraphs C-1 and C-2.

A.__The court may excuse the attendance of a parent, guardian or legal custodian at a particular proceeding or all proceedings for good cause or if appearing in court will result in undue hardship to the parent, guardian or legal custodian.

B.__If the parent, guardian or legal custodian fails to appear with the juvenile and the court has not found good cause for not appearing, the court, after notice and hearing