Montana § 42-2-418 - Remedy When Relinquishment And Consent To Adopt Revoked Or Set Aside -- Expediency

§ 42-2-418. Remedy When Relinquishment And Consent To Adopt Revoked Or Set Aside -- Expediency

Remedy when relinquishment and consent to adopt revoked or set aside -- expediency. (1) If a relinquishment and consent to adopt that was executed by an individual is revoked or set aside, the department, agency, or prospective adoptive parent shall immediately return the child to the individual's custody and move to dismiss a proceeding for adoption or termination of the individual's parental rights to the child unless: (a) the department has legal custody pursuant to a court order; (b) there are grounds for the department to seek a court order under the provisions of Title 41, chapter 3; or (c) the individual did not have legal custody of the child at the time the relinquishment and consent to adopt was executed. (2) In the circumstances described in subsections (1)(a) through (1)(c) and when there is no existing court order providing for care and custody, the court shall issue an order providing for the care and custody of the child according to the best interests of the child under any law applicable to the circumstances of the case. (3) Except as provided in subsection (1), if after revocation or the setting aside of a relinquishment or consent a child is not returned immediately by the department, agency, or prospective adoptive parent, the individual may petition the court for appropriate relief. The action must take precedence over other cases and matters in the court. The court shall examine the petition, hear the case, and render a decision as soon as possible.