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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="9.5-201" title_number="9.5" title_name="Maryland Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Jurisdiction">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except as otherwise provided in § 9.5-204 of this subtitle, a court of this State has jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination only if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>this State is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child within 6 months before the commencement of the proceeding and the child is absent from this State but a parent or person acting as a parent continues to live in this State;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a court of another state does not have jurisdiction under item (1) of this subsection, or a court of the home state of the child has declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that this State is the more appropriate forum under § 9.5-207 or § 9.5-208 of this subtitle, and:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the child and the child’s parents, or the child and at least one parent or a person acting as a parent, have a significant connection with this State other than mere physical presence; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>substantial evidence is available in this State concerning the child’s care, protection, training, and personal relationships;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>all courts having jurisdiction under item (1) or (2) of this subsection have declined to exercise jurisdiction on the ground that a court of this State is the more appropriate forum to determine the custody of the child under § 9.5-207 or § 9.5-208 of this subtitle; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>no court of any other state would have jurisdiction under the criteria specified in item (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subsection (a) of this section is the exclusive jurisdictional basis for making a child custody determination by a court of this State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Physical presence of, or personal jurisdiction over, a party or a child is not necessary or sufficient to make a child custody determination.</text>
  </level>
</section>
