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<section article="gcj" article_name="Courts and Judicial Proceedings" number="3-805" title_number="3" title_name="Courts of General Jurisdiction -- Jurisdiction/special Causes of Action" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Juvenile Causes -- Children in Need of Assistance">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A petition alleging that a child is a CINA shall be filed in the county where:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The child is residing when the petition is filed; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The act on which the petition is based allegedly occurred.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A voluntary placement petition shall be filed in the county where:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The parent or legal guardian resides;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The former CINA’s commitment to the local department was rescinded; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The former CINA receives voluntary placement services.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Whenever a petition is filed other than in the county where the child resides, the court, on its own motion or on motion of a party, may transfer the case at any time to any appropriate county, including a county where:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Another case involving custody, visitation, or support of the child is pending;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The child resides;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A parent of the child resides; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The court determines it is in the child’s best interests for further proceedings concerning the child to take place.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Before the court transfers a case to another court in the State, the court shall communicate with the juvenile judge of the other court or the judge’s designee.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The court shall advise the parties of the decision made to transfer the case and the basis for the decision.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Before the court transfers a case to a court outside the State, the court shall communicate with the other court in accordance with the Maryland Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Within 15 days after the court orders a transfer, the clerk of the sending court shall forward to the receiving court every document on file with the sending court.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If a case is transferred to another court in this State, the receiving court shall treat the case as if it had been filed with that court initially and shall set hearing dates as close as practicable to those set forth in any pending orders issued by the sending court.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If information about a child is alleged to be available in another jurisdiction in or outside of this State, the court, on its own motion or on motion of a party, may use the provisions of the Maryland Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act to obtain that information.</text>
  </level>
</section>
