<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-3A-15" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3A" subtitle_name="Private Agency Guardianship and Adoption">
  <level label="a">
    <text>On issuance of a show–cause order as to guardianship of a child, a petitioner shall serve the order on each of the child’s living parents who has not consented to the guardianship.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Service under this section shall be by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>personal service; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Service on a parent under this section shall be attempted at the parent’s last address known to the petitioner.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a court is satisfied, by affidavit or testimony, that, after reasonable efforts in good faith, a petitioner could not identify a parent or could not effect service on a parent, the court shall order service through notice by publication as to that parent.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Notice under this subsection shall consist of substantially the following statement:</text>
      <text>To: (Father’s name)  To:�(Mother’s name)  To:�Unknown parent</text>
      <text>“You are hereby notified that a guardianship case has been filed in the circuit court for (county name), case no. (number). All persons who believe themselves to be parents of a (male or female) child born on (date of birth) in (city, state) to (mother’s and father’s names and dates of birth) shall file a written response. A copy of the show–cause order may be obtained from the clerk’s office at (address) and (telephone number). If you do not file a written objection by (deadline), you will have agreed to the permanent loss of your parental rights to this child.”</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Service under this subsection shall be by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>publication at least once in one or more newspapers in general circulation in the county where the parent last resided or, if unknown, where the petition is filed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>posting for at least 30 days on a website of the Department.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Department may charge a petitioner a reasonable fee to cover the cost of posting.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
