§ 4–351
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Gen. Prov. § 4-351 (2026)
Title 4. Public Information Act
Subtitle 3. Denials of Inspection
§ 4–351LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Subject to subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section, a custodian may deny inspection of:
(1)
records of investigations conducted by the Attorney General, a State’s Attorney, a municipal or county attorney, a police department, or a sheriff;
(2)
an investigatory file compiled for any other law enforcement, judicial, correctional, or prosecution purpose;
(3)
records that contain intelligence information or security procedures of the Attorney General, a State’s Attorney, a municipal or county attorney, a police department, a State or local correctional facility, or a sheriff; or
(4)
records, other than a record of a technical infraction, relating to an administrative or criminal investigation of misconduct by a police officer, including an internal affairs investigatory record, a hearing record, a record of positive community feedback, and records relating to a disciplinary decision.
(b)
A custodian may deny inspection by a person in interest only to the extent that the inspection would:
(1)
interfere with a valid and proper law enforcement proceeding;
(2)
deprive another person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication;
(3)
constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(4)
disclose the identity of a confidential source;
(5)
disclose an investigative technique or procedure;
(6)
prejudice an investigation; or
(7)
endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.
(c)
A custodian shall allow inspection of a record described in subsection (a)(4) of this section by:
(1)
the United States Attorney;
(2)
the Attorney General;
(3)
the State Prosecutor; or
(4)
the State’s Attorney for the jurisdiction relevant to the record.
(d)
Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a custodian:
(1)
shall redact the portions of a record described in subsection (a)(4) of this section to the extent that the record reflects:
(i)
medical information of the person in interest;
(ii)
personal contact information of the person in interest or a witness; or
(iii)
information relating to the family of the person in interest; and
(2)
may redact the portion of a record described in subsection (a)(4) of this section to the extent that the record reflects witness information other than personal contact information.
(e)
A custodian shall notify the person in interest of a record described in subsection (a)(4) of this section when the record is inspected, but may not disclose the identity of the requestor to the person in interest.