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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="10-358" title_number="10" title_name="Support in General" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Maryland Uniform Interstate Family Support Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A plaintiff may file a direct request seeking establishment or modification of a support order or determination of parentage of a child. In the proceeding, the law of this State applies.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A plaintiff may file a direct request seeking recognition and enforcement of a support order or support agreement. In the proceeding, §§ 10–359 through 10–366 of this subtitle apply.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>In a direct request for recognition and enforcement of a Convention support order or foreign support agreement:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a security, bond, or deposit is not required to guarantee the payment of costs and expenses; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>an obligee or obligor that in the issuing country has benefited from free legal assistance is entitled to benefit, at least to the same extent, from any free legal assistance provided for by the law of this State under the same circumstances.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A plaintiff filing a direct request is not entitled to assistance from the Administration.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>This part does not prevent the application of laws of this State that provide simplified, more expeditious rules regarding a direct request for recognition and enforcement of a foreign support order or foreign support agreement.</text>
  </level>
</section>
