<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".10" citation="COMAR 12.02.28.10" title_num="12" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="28" heading="Formal Resolution of an Inmate Complaint — Preliminary Review.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Facility Preliminary Review of a Request Form.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Within 5 working days of the date of receipt of a Request form by the managing official, the facility ARC shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Assign a case number to the request according to requirements established in Regulation .19 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Index the request according to requirements established in Regulation .19 of this chapter; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Review the request to determine if the request:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is frivolous or malicious;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Is complete and submitted according to requirements under this chapter;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Is eligible for resolution under this chapter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Has been submitted within established time requirements; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Take action required under §A(2) or (3) of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If the request is determined to be frivolous or malicious, the managing official, or a facility ARC, shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Properly complete the appropriate part of the Request form; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Record that the request is procedurally dismissed as being frivolous or malicious, or both.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>If the Request form is determined to incomplete and the missing information is necessary to review the inmate’s complaint, the managing official or facility ARC shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Properly complete the appropriate part of the Request form;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Record that the request is procedurally dismissed as being incomplete;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Provide specific direction to resolve the noted issue;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Establish a due date for the resubmission that is the later of:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>15 calendar days from the date of the procedural dismissal; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>30 calendar days of the date of the original submission of the Request form;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Return the completed Request form and a blank Request form to the inmate; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>File a copy of the completed Request form in the appropriate ARP file.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>A Request form may not be determined incomplete and therefore procedurally dismissed pending resubmission under §A(3) of this regulation solely because the inmate did not include information concerning actions taken to informally resolve the complaint.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>After the managing official or a facility ARC reviews a Request form, the facility ARC shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Appropriately process the request based on the action resulting from the preliminary review;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Ensure that the affected individuals are notified of the result of the preliminary review;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>If the Request form is not subject to procedural dismissal on preliminary review on the date the case is indexed:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Review the request to determine the nature of the case and assign the case for investigation by an individual familiar with the nature of the case; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Return the receipt portion of the Request form to the inmate filing the request; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Appropriately file the ARP documents.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Headquarters Preliminary Review of a Request Form. If a Request form is submitted directly to the Commissioner without being submitted first to the inmate’s managing official, the Commissioner, or a designee, shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Refer the Request form to the appropriate managing official including the date that the request was received by the Commissioner;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Record the Request form in the Headquarters index without a case number; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Notify the inmate submitting the Request form, in writing, of the request being referred to the managing official.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>A managing official who receives a Request form from the Commissioner shall process the Request form in accordance with provisions under §A of this regulation.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>