Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 5-345
Terms Used In Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 5-345
- Adult: means an individual at least 18 years old. See
- 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.
- Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
- state: means :
(1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or
(2) the District of Columbia. See
(b) (1) Any adult may petition a juvenile court for an adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle.
(2) If a petitioner under this section is married, the petitioner’s spouse shall join in the petition unless the spouse:
(i) is separated from the petitioner under a circumstance that gives the petitioner a ground for annulment or divorce; or
(ii) is not competent to join in the petition.
(c) (1) A petitioner under this section shall attach to a petition:
(i) 1. all written consents required under § 5-350 of this subtitle; or
2. if applicable:
A. proof of guardianship or relinquishment of parental rights granted by an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction; and
B. certification that the guardianship or relinquishment was granted in compliance with the jurisdiction’s laws;
(ii) a copy of an agreement, if any, for postadoption contact; and
(iii) a notice of filing that:
1. states the date on which the petition was filed;
2. identifies each governmental unit or person whose consent was filed with the petition;
3. if applicable, states that a postadoption agreement was filed with the petition; and
4. includes no identifying information that would be in violation of an agreement or consent.
(2) In addition to a copy of an agreement for postadoption contact, a petitioner shall file the original agreement under seal.
(d) If the marital status of a petitioner changes before entry of an order, the petitioner shall amend the petition accordingly.