<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-3B-08" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3B" subtitle_name="Independent Adoption">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A court may order an adoptive parent to pay, wholly or partly, reasonable fees for a former parent’s:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>independent counsel; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>adoption counseling or guidance for a reasonable time.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, a court may assign among the parties to a case under this subtitle counsel fees, counseling or guidance fees, and costs of testing under § 5-3B-05 of this subtitle, as the court considers appropriate.</text>
  </level>
</section>
