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<section article="get" article_name="Estates and Trusts" number="13-904" title_number="13" title_name="Protection of Minors, Disabled Persons, Susceptible Adults, and Older Adults" subtitle_number="9">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A parent may designate a standby guardian by means of a written designation:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Signed in the presence of two witnesses, at least 18 years old, neither of whom is the standby guardian; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Signed by the standby guardian.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If a parent is physically unable to sign a written designation, another person may sign the designation on the parent’s behalf and at the parent’s direction.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>A designation under this paragraph shall be signed in the presence of the parent and two witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom may be the standby guardian.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The standby guardian also shall sign a designation under this paragraph.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A designation of a standby guardian shall identify the parent, the minor, and the person designated to be the standby guardian, state the duties of the standby guardian, and indicate that the parent intends for the standby guardian to become the minor’s guardian in the event the parent:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Becomes incapacitated;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Becomes debilitated and consents to the beginning of the standby guardian’s authority; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Is subject to an adverse immigration action and consents to the beginning of the standby guardian’s authority.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A parent may designate an alternate standby guardian in the same writing and by the same manner as the designation of a standby guardian.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A designation may, but need not, be in the following form:</text>
      <text>Designation of Standby Guardian </text>
      <text>I (name of parent) hereby designate (name, home address, and telephone number of standby guardian) as standby guardian of the person and property of my child(ren) (name of child(ren)).</text>
      <text>(You may, if you wish, provide that the standby guardian’s authority shall extend only to the person, or only to the property, of your child, by crossing out “person” or “property”, whichever is inapplicable, above.)    The standby guardian’s authority shall take effect if and when:</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="1">
    <text>My doctor concludes I am mentally incapacitated, and thus unable to care for my child(ren); </text>
  </level>
  <level label="2">
    <text>My doctor concludes that I am physically debilitated, and thus unable to care for my child(ren) and I consent in writing, before two witnesses, to the standby guardian’s authority taking effect; or</text>
  </level>
  <level label="3">
    <text>I am subject to an adverse immigration action, and I am thus unable to care for my child(ren) and I consent in writing, before two witnesses, to the standby guardian’s authority taking effect.</text>
    <text>If the person I designate above is unable or unwilling to act as guardian for my child(ren), I hereby designate (name, home address, and telephone number of alternate standby guardian), as standby guardian of my child(ren).</text>
    <text>I also understand that my standby guardian’s authority will cease 180 days after beginning unless by that date my standby guardian petitions the court for appointment as guardian.</text>
    <text>I understand that I retain full parental rights even after the beginning of the standby guardian’s authority, and may revoke the standby guardianship at any time.</text>
    <text>Parent’s Signature: _____________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>I declare that the person whose name appears above signed this document in my presence, or was physically unable to sign and asked another to sign this document, who did so in my presence. I further declare that I am at least 18 years old and am not the person designated as standby guardian.</text>
    <text>Witness’s Signature: ____________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Witness’s Signature: ____________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Standby Guardian’s Signature: __________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
  </level>
  <level label="4">
    <text>A consent by another person with parental rights to a designation of a standby guardian by a parent may, but need not be, in the following form:</text>
    <text>Consent to Designation of Standby Guardian </text>
    <text>I (name of person with parental rights) agree with the designation by (name of parent) of (name, home address, and telephone number of standby guardian) as standby guardian of the person and property of my child(ren) (name of child(ren)).</text>
    <text>I agree also to the terms stated above and understand that I retain full parental rights even after the beginning of the standby guardian’s authority, and may revoke my consent to the standby guardianship at any time.</text>
    <text>Signature of Person with Parental Rights: _________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>I declare that the person whose name appears above signed this document in my presence, or was physically unable to sign and asked another to sign this document, who did so in my presence. I further declare that I am at least 18 years old and am not the person designated as standby guardian.</text>
    <text>Witness’s Signature: ____________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Witness’s Signature: ____________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Standby Guardian’s Signature: __________________________________________</text>
    <text>Address: _______________________________________________________________</text>
    <text>Date: __________________________________________________________________</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The authority of the standby guardian under a designation shall begin on:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The standby guardian’s receipt of a copy of a determination of incapacity under § 13–906 of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The standby guardian’s receipt of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A copy of a determination of debilitation under § 13–906 of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A copy of the parent’s written consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship, signed by the parent in the presence of two witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom is the standby guardian, and signed by the standby guardian; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A copy of the birth certificate for each child for whom the standby guardian is designated; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The standby guardian’s receipt of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Evidence of an adverse immigration action against the parent; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A copy of the parent’s written consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship, signed by the parent in the presence of two witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom is the standby guardian, and signed by the standby guardian.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a parent is physically unable to sign a written consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship, another person may sign the written consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship on the parent’s behalf and at the parent’s direction.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A consent under this subsection to the beginning of the standby guardianship shall be signed in the presence of the parent and two witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom may be the standby guardian.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The standby guardian also shall sign a consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A standby guardian shall file a petition for judicial appointment within 180 days of the date of the beginning of the standby guardianship under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the standby guardian fails to file the petition within the time specified in this subsection, the standby guardian’s authority shall terminate 180 days from the date of the beginning of the standby guardianship.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The standby guardian’s authority shall begin again on the filing of the petition.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A standby guardian shall file a petition for appointment as guardian after receipt of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A copy of a determination of incapacity made under § 13–906 of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Copies of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>A determination of debilitation made under § 13–906 of this subtitle; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The parent’s written consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship under this section; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>Evidence of an adverse immigration action against the parent; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Copies of the parent’s written consent to the    beginning of the standby guardianship under this section.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, the petition shall be accompanied by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The written designation of the standby guardian signed, or consented to, by each person having parental rights over the child;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>A copy of:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>The determination of incapacity of the parent; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>The determination of debilitation and the parental consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Evidence of an adverse immigration action against the parent, the parental consent to the beginning of the guardianship, and a copy of the birth certificate or other evidence of parentage for each child for whom the standby guardian is designated; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If the petition is filed by a person designated as alternate standby guardian, a statement that the person designated as standby guardian is unwilling or unable to act as standby guardian, and the basis for the statement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If a person who has parental rights cannot be located after reasonable efforts have been made to locate the person, the standby guardian may file a petition under this section without the consent of the person to the designation of the standby guardian.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If a petition involves an adverse immigration action against a parent and a person who has parental rights resides outside the United States, the standby guardian may file a petition under this section without the consent of the person who has parental rights to the designation of the standby guardian.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the standby guardian submits documentation, satisfactory to the court, of the reasonable efforts to locate the person who has parental rights, the court may appoint a standby guardian under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The court shall appoint a person to be a standby guardian under this section if the court finds that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The person was duly designated as standby guardian;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A determination of incapacity, or a determination of debilitation and parental consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship, has been made under this section; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>There is evidence of an adverse immigration action and parental consent to the beginning of the standby guardianship has been given under this section;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The interests of the minor will be promoted by the appointment of a standby guardian of the person or property of the minor; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the petition is by a person designated as alternate standby guardian, the person designated as standby guardian is unwilling or unable to act as standby guardian.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>A parent may revoke a standby guardianship created under this section:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before the filing of a petition, by notifying the standby guardian verbally or in writing or by any other act that is evidence of a specific intent to revoke the standby guardianship; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a petition has been filed by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Executing a written revocation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Filing the revocation with the court in which the petition was filed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Promptly notifying the standby guardian of the revocation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>A person who is judicially appointed as a standby guardian under this section may at any time before the beginning of the person’s authority renounce the appointment by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Executing a written renunciation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Filing the renunciation with the court that issued the decree; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Promptly notifying in writing the parent of the revocation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
