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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="10-119" title_number="10" title_name="Crimes Against Public Health, Conduct, and Sensibilities" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Crimes Against Public Health and Safety">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person shall be issued a citation under this section if the person violates:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>§§ 10–113 through 10–115 or § 10–118 of this part; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>§ 6–321 or § 6–322 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A minor who violates § 10–116 or § 10–117(a) of this part shall be issued a citation under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A citation for a violation of §§ 10–113 through 10–115 or a violation of § 10–118 of this part or § 6–321 or § 6–322 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article may be issued by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a police officer authorized to make arrests;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>in State forestry reservations, State parks, historic monuments, and recreation areas, a forest or park warden under § 5–206(a) or (b) of the Natural Resources Article; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, in Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Kent County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Talbot County, and only in the inspector’s jurisdiction, an alcoholic beverages inspector who investigates license violations under the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Kent County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Talbot County, the inspector shall successfully complete an appropriate program of training in the proper use of arrest authority and pertinent police procedures as required by the board of license commissioners.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In Anne Arundel County, Harford County, Howard County, Kent County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Talbot County, the inspector may not carry a firearm in the performance of the inspector’s duties.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A person authorized under this section to issue a citation shall issue it if the person has probable cause to believe that the person charged is committing or has committed a Code violation.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the form of citation issued to an adult shall be as prescribed by the District Court and shall be uniform throughout the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The citation issued to an adult shall contain:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name and address of the person charged;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the statute allegedly violated;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the location, date, and time that the violation occurred;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the fine that may be imposed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a notice stating that prepayment of the fine is not allowed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>a notice that the District Court shall promptly send the person charged a summons to appear for trial;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>the signature of the person issuing the citation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>a space for the person charged to sign the citation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The form of citation issued to a minor shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>be prescribed by the State Court Administrator;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>be uniform throughout the State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>contain the information listed in § 3–8A–33(b) of the Courts Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except for a citation subject to the jurisdiction of a circuit court, the issuing jurisdiction shall forward a copy of the citation and a request for trial to the District Court in the district having venue.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The District Court shall promptly schedule the case for trial and summon the defendant to appear.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Willful failure of the defendant to respond to the summons is contempt of court.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For purposes of this section, a violation of §§ 10–113 through 10–115 or a violation of § 10–118 of this part or § 6–321 or § 6–322 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article is a Code violation and is a civil offense.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person charged who is under the age of 18 years shall be subject to the procedures and dispositions provided in Title 3, Subtitle 8A of the Courts Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person charged who is at least 18 years old shall be subject to the provisions of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Adjudication of a Code violation is not a criminal conviction for any purpose, and it does not impose any of the civil disabilities ordinarily imposed by a criminal conviction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>In any proceeding for a Code violation:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the State has the burden to prove the guilt of the defendant to the same extent as is required by law in the trial of criminal causes, and in any such proceeding, the court shall apply the evidentiary standards as prescribed by law or rule for the trial of criminal causes;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the court shall ensure that the defendant has received a copy of the charges against the defendant and that the defendant understands those charges;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the defendant is entitled to cross–examine all witnesses who appear against the defendant, to produce evidence or witnesses on behalf of the defendant, or to testify on the defendant’s own behalf, if the defendant chooses to do so;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the defendant is entitled to be represented by counsel of the defendant’s choice and at the expense of the defendant;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the defendant may enter a plea of guilty or not guilty, and the verdict of the court in the case shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>guilty of a Code violation; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>not guilty of a Code violation; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>before rendering judgment, the court may place the defendant on probation in the same manner and to the same extent as is allowed by law in the trial of a criminal case.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection does not apply to a person who commits a Code violation under § 6–321 or § 6–322 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, if the District Court finds that a person has committed a Code violation, the court shall require the person to pay:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a fine not exceeding $500; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if the violation is a subsequent violation, a fine not exceeding $1,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the District Court finds that a person has committed a Code violation under § 10–117 of this subtitle, the court shall require the person to pay:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a fine not exceeding $2,500; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if the violation is a subsequent violation, a fine not exceeding $5,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Chief Judge of the District Court may not establish a schedule for the prepayment of fines for a Code violation under this part.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>When a defendant has been found guilty of a Code violation and a fine has been imposed by the court:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the court may direct that the payment of the fine be suspended or deferred under conditions that the court may establish; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if the defendant willfully fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, that willful failure may be treated as a criminal contempt of court, for which the defendant may be punished by the court as provided by law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The defendant is liable for the costs of the proceedings in the District Court and for payment to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The court costs in a Code violation case in which costs are imposed are $5.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this subsection, “driver’s license” means a license or permit to drive a motor vehicle that is issued under the laws of this State or any other jurisdiction.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>This subsection applies only to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a person who is at least 18 but under 21 years of age; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a minor if the minor is subject to the jurisdiction of the court.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a person is found guilty of a Code violation under § 10–113 of this part that involved the use of a driver’s license or a document purporting to be a driver’s license, the court shall notify the Motor Vehicle Administration of the violation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Chief Judge of the District Court, in conjunction with the Motor Vehicle Administrator, shall establish uniform procedures for reporting Code violations described in this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A defendant who has been found guilty of a Code violation has the right to appeal or to file a motion for a new trial or a motion for a revision of a judgment provided by law in the trial of a criminal case.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A motion shall be made in the same manner as provided in the trial of criminal cases, and the court, in ruling on the motion has the same authority provided in the trial of criminal cases.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State’s Attorney for any county may prosecute a Code violation in the same manner as prosecution of a violation of the criminal laws of this State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In a Code violation case the State’s Attorney may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>enter a nolle prosequi in or place the case on the stet docket; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>exercise authority in the same manner as prescribed by law for violation of the criminal laws of this State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
