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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-203" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Parent and Child">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The parents are the joint natural guardians of their minor child.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A parent is the sole natural guardian of the minor child if the other parent:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>dies;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>abandons the family; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>is incapable of acting as a parent.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The parents of a minor child, as defined in § 1–103 of the General Provisions Article:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>are jointly and severally responsible for the child’s support, care, nurture, welfare, and education; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>have the same powers and duties in relation to the child.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If one or both parents of a minor child is an unemancipated minor, the parents of that minor parent are jointly and severally responsible for any child support for a grandchild that is a recipient of temporary cash assistance to the extent that the minor parent has insufficient financial resources to fulfill the child support responsibility of the minor parent.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the parents live apart, a court may award custody of a minor child to either parent or joint custody to both parents.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Neither parent is presumed to have any right to custody that is superior to the right of the other parent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
