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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".07" citation="COMAR 12.02.21.07" title_num="12" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="21" heading="Authorization — Request to Marry an Inmate at a Correctional Facility.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>The managing official’s authorization to marry an inmate at the correctional facility is contingent upon receipt and approval of information required under this regulation.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>A designee processing a request to marry an inmate that has met the conditions established under Regulation .06 of this chapter shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Within 5 business days of determining that the request meets conditions established under Regulation .06 of this chapter the designee shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Provide the inmate with a copy of an Inmate Marriage Information sheet; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Instruct the inmate on completing the Inmate Marriage Information sheet advising that:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The authorization of the request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility is predicated on receipt and approval of the information requested on the sheet;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The inmate shall complete or have the intended spouse complete the sheet and submit the completed sheet to the coordinator a minimum of 10 business days before the requested date of the ceremony;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The inmate and the intended spouse shall retain a copy of the completed sheet; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The inmate or intended spouse shall provide the officiant named on the sheet a copy of the sheet; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Advise the inmate that:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The inmate, or the intended spouse, is responsible for expenses related to the marriage, for example, the marriage license fee and expenses for the ceremony and officiant;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The intended spouse is responsible for obtaining the marriage license in the county where the inmate’s correctional facility is located;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The intended spouse is responsible for providing a legally accepted copy of the marriage license to the coordinator (submitted with the completed Inmate Marriage Information sheet);</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>A Department officiant may not participate in the arrangements for the inmate marriage and the intended spouse is responsible for obtaining the services of an officiant and notifying the coordinator in writing (included in the completed Inmate Marriage Information sheet);</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>The intended spouse is required to obtain a list of items the officiant intends to use at the ceremony (included with the Inmate Marriage Information sheet);</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>A maximum of four guests (identification information is required to be included in the Inmate Marriage Information sheet) may be permitted to attend the marriage ceremony based on:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The intended spouse and officiant are not counted as guests; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Any individual under 18 years old, including an infant, shall be counted as a guest;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>The intended spouse, officiant, and guests are required to comply with all policy and procedure and COMAR regarding visitors to the facility; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>The maximum time permitted for conducting the marriage ceremony and post-ceremony visitation is 2 hours.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Upon receipt of the information required under §B of this regulation by the designee, the designee shall, as soon as possible after receipt, present the information to the inmate’s managing official for review and authorization of the request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>A managing official shall review the information received in connection with the request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility and notify the designee that the information is:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Acceptable and that authorization to marry the inmate at the correctional facility is granted; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Not acceptable and the request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility is denied.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>If the request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility is denied under §D(2) of this regulation, the designee shall notify the inmate and intended spouse, in writing:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Of the denial;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Of the reason for the denial; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Unless the inmate demonstrates significant change in the circumstances on which the denial is based as provided under §E(2) of this regulation, the denial is final with no opportunity for appeal.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>If the managing official authorizes a request to marry an inmate at the correctional facility, as part of the authorization, the managing official may:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Limit the number of guests to less than four;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Deny attendance of a specific requested guest;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Reduce the time permitted for conducting the marriage ceremony and post-ceremony visitation;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Deny the use of items to be used by the officiant;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Approve the original date and time requested for the ceremony; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Establish an alternate date and time for the ceremony.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>