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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-3B-16" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3B" subtitle_name="Independent Adoption">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except as provided in § 5–3B–27 of this subtitle and subject to subsection (c) of this section, before ruling on a consensual adoption petition under § 5–3B–20(b)(1) of this subtitle, a court may order a court investigator or child placement agency to conduct any investigation that the court considers necessary.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, before ruling on a nonconsensual adoption petition under §§ 5–3B–20(b)(2) and 5–3B–22 of this subtitle, a court shall order a court investigator or an appropriate child placement agency to investigate and submit a report that includes summaries of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the prospective adoptee’s emotional ties with and feelings toward the prospective adoptee’s parents, the prospective adoptee’s siblings, and others who may affect the prospective adoptee’s best interests significantly; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the prospective adoptee’s adjustment to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>community;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>home; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>school.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If a prospective adoptee is an adult, the court may order an investigation under subsection (a) or (b) of this section only for good cause shown.</text>
  </level>
</section>
