<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-345" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Guardianship to and Adoption Through Local Department">
  <level label="a">
    <text>If, after termination of parental rights as to a child, there is an open guardianship case, a petition for adoption of the child may be filed only as provided in this Part IV of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Any adult may petition a juvenile court for an adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a petitioner under this section is married, the petitioner’s spouse shall join in the petition unless the spouse:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is separated from the petitioner under a circumstance that gives the petitioner a ground for annulment or divorce; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is not competent to join in the petition.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A petitioner under this section shall attach to a petition:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <text>all written consents required under § 5-350 of this subtitle; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>if applicable:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>proof of guardianship or relinquishment of parental rights granted by an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>certification that the guardianship or relinquishment was granted in compliance with the jurisdiction’s laws;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a copy of an agreement, if any, for postadoption contact; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a notice of filing that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>states the date on which the petition was filed;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>identifies each governmental unit or person whose consent was filed with the petition;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>if applicable, states that a postadoption agreement was filed with the petition; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>includes no identifying information that would be in violation of an agreement or consent.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In addition to a copy of an agreement for postadoption contact, a petitioner shall file the original agreement under seal.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If the marital status of a petitioner changes before entry of an order, the petitioner shall amend the petition accordingly.</text>
  </level>
</section>
