Right to counsel
At one time, Maine required minors to obtain parental consent prior to seeking an abortion. However, current Maine law only requires that the minor be provided certain information prior to obtaining the abortion. There is, though, still a statutory procedure in place for a minor to seek judicial approval for the abortion, and that procedure contains a right to counsel for the minor. See Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 1597-A(6)(C) (2012) (“If any party is unable to afford counsel, the court shall appoint counsel at least 24 hours before the time of the hearing”).
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Note: Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision’s in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 142 S.Ct. 2228 (2022), the laws governing abortion are complicated and rapidly changing. This major development may not be current since Dobbs. For up-to-date information about the status of abortion by state, please see Center for Reproductive Rights, After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State.
