§ 503 - Service of petition and notice - Vermont Statutes

§ 3-503. Service of petition and notice

(a) A petition to terminate under this part and a notice of hearing on the petition shall be served upon the respondent in the manner prescribed in section 3-403 of this title.

(b) The notice of a hearing shall inform the respondent of the method for responding and that:

(1) the respondent has a right to be represented by an attorney, and may be entitled to have an attorney appointed by the court; and

(2) if the respondent fails to respond within 20 days after service and, in the case of an alleged father, fails to file a claim of paternity within 20 days after service unless a claim of paternity is pending, the respondent may not appear in or receive further notice of the proceeding for adoption or termination and that the failure to respond will result in termination of the relationship of parent and child between the respondent and the minor unless the proceeding for adoption is dismissed. (Added 1995, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)