§ 5–313
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 5-313 (2026)
Title 5. Children
Subtitle 3. Guardianship to and Adoption Through Local Department
§ 5–313LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except as provided in § 5-331 of this subtitle, a petition for guardianship shall precede a petition for adoption under this subtitle.
(b)
Only the individual who would be subject to guardianship or a local department may file a petition for guardianship under this Part II of this subtitle.
(c)
A petition for guardianship of an individual shall be filed before the individual attains 18 years of age.
(d)
A petitioner under this section shall attach to a petition:
(1)
all written consents for the guardianship that the petitioner has;
(2)
if applicable:
(i)
proof of guardianship or relinquishment of parental rights granted by an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction; and
(ii)
certification that the guardianship or relinquishment was granted in compliance with the jurisdiction’s laws; and
(3)
a notice of filing that:
(i)
states the date on which the petition was filed;
(ii)
identifies each person whose consent was filed with the petition;
(iii)
states the obligation of a parent to give the juvenile court and local department notice of each change in the parent’s address;
(iv)
has printed on it the website that the Department maintains under § 2–302 of the Human Services Article; and
(v)
includes no identifying information that would be in violation of an agreement or consent.