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Maryland Code, Criminal Law § 3-301

Current as of December 31, 2021 | Updated by FindLaw Staff

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Mentally incapacitated individual” means an individual who, because of the influence of a drug, narcotic, or intoxicating substance, or because of an act committed on the individual without the individual's consent or awareness, is rendered substantially incapable of:

(1) appraising the nature of the individual's conduct; or

(2) resisting vaginal intercourse, a sexual act, or sexual contact.

(c) “Physically helpless individual” means an individual who:

(1) is unconscious; or

(2)(i) does not consent to vaginal intercourse, a sexual act, or sexual contact; and

(ii) is physically unable to resist, or communicate unwillingness to submit to, vaginal intercourse, a sexual act, or sexual contact.

(d)(1) “Sexual act” means any of the following acts, regardless of whether semen is emitted:

(i) analingus;

(ii) cunnilingus;

(iii) fellatio;

(iv) anal intercourse, including penetration, however slight, of the anus; or

(v) an act:

1. in which an object or part of an individual's body penetrates, however slightly, into another individual's genital opening or anus; and

2. that can reasonably be construed to be for sexual arousal or gratification, or for the abuse of either party.

(2) “Sexual act” does not include:

(i) vaginal intercourse; or

(ii) an act in which an object or part of an individual's body penetrates an individual's genital opening or anus for an accepted medical purpose.

(e)(1) “Sexual contact”, as used in §§ 3-307, 3-308, and 3-314 of this subtitle, means an intentional touching of the victim's or actor's genital, anal, or other intimate area for sexual arousal or gratification, or for the abuse of either party.

(2) “Sexual contact” does not include:

(i) a common expression of familial or friendly affection; or

(ii) an act for an accepted medical purpose.

(f) “Substantially cognitively impaired individual” means an individual who suffers from an intellectual disability or a mental disorder, either of which temporarily or permanently renders the individual substantially incapable of:

(1) appraising the nature of the individual's conduct;

(2) resisting vaginal intercourse, a sexual act, or sexual contact; or

(3) communicating unwillingness to submit to vaginal intercourse, a sexual act, or sexual contact.

(g)(1) “Vaginal intercourse” means genital copulation, whether or not semen is emitted.

(2) “Vaginal intercourse” includes penetration, however slight, of the vagina.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Criminal Law § 3-301 - last updated December 31, 2021 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/criminal-law/md-code-crim-law-sect-3-301.html

Read this complete Maryland Code, Criminal Law § 3-301 on Westlaw

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