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Terms Used In Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 1-201

  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • minor: means an individual under the age of 18 years. See
(a) For the purposes of subsection (b)(10) of this section, “child” means an unmarried individual under the age of 21 years.

(b) An equity court has jurisdiction over:

(1) adoption of a child, except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;

(2) alimony;

(3) annulment of a marriage;

(4) divorce;

(5) custody or guardianship of a child except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;

(6) visitation of a child;

(7) legitimation of a child;

(8) paternity;

(9) support of a child;

(10) custody or guardianship of an immigrant child pursuant to a motion for Special Immigrant Juvenile factual findings requesting a determination that the child was abused, neglected, or abandoned before the age of 18 years for purposes of § 101(a)(27)(J) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act; and

(11) a petition for authorization for a minor to marry.

(c) In exercising its jurisdiction over the custody, guardianship, visitation, or support of a child, an equity court may:

(1) direct who shall have the custody or guardianship of a child, pendente lite or permanently;

(2) determine who shall have visitation rights to a child;

(3) decide who shall be charged with the support of the child, pendente lite or permanently;

(4) from time to time, set aside or modify its decree or order concerning the child; or

(5) issue an injunction to protect a party to the action from physical harm or harassment.

(d) This section does not take away or impair the jurisdiction of a juvenile court or a criminal court with respect to the custody, guardianship, visitation, and support of a child.