Finding a new lead
A message will be sent to pear-dev asking for volunteers.
Somebody steps up
If you are willing to take over a package you must notify the QA list and state who you are and why you want to take over.
If the QA team feels the person who stepped up is appropriate and capable, the team will make this person a new maintainer. In case several persons step up a case by case study will be carried out to assign new maintainer-ship.
Nobody wishes to take over
A QA core team member will mark the package as orphaned.
Orphan status
If a package is orphaned, a warning and a call for maintainers will be displayed on the main package page.