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<section article="gcp" article_name="Criminal Procedure" number="4-101" title_number="4" title_name="Pretrial Procedures" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Charging Procedures and Documents">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Citation” means a written charging document that a police officer or fire marshal issues to a defendant, alleging the defendant has committed a crime.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Citation” does not include an indictment, information, or statement of charges.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Fire marshal” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the State Fire Marshal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a deputy State fire marshal; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>as designated under § 6–304 of the Public Safety Article:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>an assistant State fire marshal; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a special assistant State fire marshal.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Police officer” has the meaning stated in § 2–101 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Within areas of the National Park System, a United States Park Police officer may exercise the authority of a police officer to issue a citation under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in addition to any other law allowing a crime to be charged by citation, a police officer shall charge by citation for:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>any misdemeanor or local ordinance violation that does not carry a penalty of imprisonment;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>any other misdemeanor or local ordinance violation not involving serious injury or an immediate health risk for which the maximum penalty of imprisonment is 90 days or less, except:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>failure to comply with a peace order under § 3–1508 of the Courts Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>failure to comply with a protective order under § 4–509 of the Family Law Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>violation of a condition of pretrial or posttrial release under § 5–213.1 of this article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="D">
          <text>possession of an electronic control device after conviction of a drug felony or crime of violence under § 4–109(b) of the Criminal Law Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="E">
          <text>violation of an out–of–state domestic violence order under § 4–508.1 of the Family Law Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="F">
          <text>abuse or neglect of an animal under § 10–604 of the Criminal Law Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>possession of cannabis under § 5–601 of the Criminal Law Article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in addition to any other law allowing a crime to be charged by citation, a police officer may charge by citation for:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>sale of an alcoholic beverage to an underage drinker or intoxicated person under § 6–304, § 6–307, § 6–308, or § 6–309 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>malicious destruction of property under § 6–301 of the Criminal Law Article, if the amount of damage to the property is less than $500;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>misdemeanor theft under § 7–104(g)(2) of the Criminal Law Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>possession of a controlled dangerous substance other than cannabis under § 5–601 of the Criminal Law Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>possession with intent to distribute cannabis under § 5–602(b)(1) of the Criminal Law Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>growing or manufacturing cannabis or a cannabis product under § 5–603(b) of the Criminal Law Article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A police officer may charge a defendant by citation only if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the officer is satisfied with the defendant’s evidence of identity;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the officer reasonably believes that the defendant will comply with the citation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the officer reasonably believes that the failure to charge on a statement of charges will not pose a threat to public safety;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the defendant is not subject to arrest:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>for an alleged misdemeanor involving serious injury or immediate health risk or an alleged felony arising out of the same incident; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>based on an outstanding arrest warrant; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the defendant complies with all lawful orders by the officer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A police officer who has grounds to make a warrantless arrest for an offense that may be charged by citation under this subsection may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>issue a citation in lieu of making the arrest; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>make the arrest and subsequently issue a citation in lieu of continued custody.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in addition to any other law allowing a crime to be charged by citation, a fire marshal may issue a citation for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>discharging fireworks without a permit under § 10–104 or § 10–110 of the Public Safety Article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>possessing with intent to discharge or allowing the discharge of fireworks under § 10–104 or § 10–110 of the Public Safety Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>maintaining a fire hazard under § 6–317 of the Public Safety Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A fire marshal may issue a citation if the fire marshal is satisfied with the defendant’s evidence of identity and reasonably believes that the defendant will comply with the citation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This section does not apply to a citation that is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>authorized for a violation of a parking ordinance or a regulation adopted by a State unit or political subdivision of the State under Title 26, Subtitle 3 of the Transportation Article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>authorized by the Department of Natural Resources under § 1–205 of the Natural Resources Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>authorized by Baltimore City under § 16–16A (special enforcement officers) of the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City for violation of a code, ordinance, or public local law of Baltimore City concerning building, housing, health, fire, safety, zoning, or sanitation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the Chief Judge of the District Court shall prescribe a uniform, statewide form of a citation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Except for the uniform motor vehicle citation form, the law enforcement agencies of the State, the United States Park Police, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall reimburse the District Court for printing the citation forms that law enforcement officers and the State Fire Marshal require.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
