Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

Maryland Code, Family Law § 5-313

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) Except as provided in § 5-331 of this subtitle, a petition for guardianship shall precede a petition for adoption under this subtitle.

(b) Only the individual who would be subject to guardianship or a local department may file a petition for guardianship under this Part II of this subtitle.

(c) A petition for guardianship of an individual shall be filed before the individual attains 18 years of age.

(d) A petitioner under this section shall attach to a petition:

(1) all written consents for the guardianship that the petitioner has;

(2) if applicable:

(i) proof of guardianship or relinquishment of parental rights granted by an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction; and

(ii) certification that the guardianship or relinquishment was granted in compliance with the jurisdiction's laws; and

(3) a notice of filing that:

(i) states the date on which the petition was filed;

(ii) identifies each person whose consent was filed with the petition;

(iii) states the obligation of a parent to give the juvenile court and local department notice of each change in the parent's address;

(iv) has printed on it the website that the Department maintains under § 2-302 of the Human Services Article; and

(v) includes no identifying information that would be in violation of an agreement or consent.

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maryland Code, Family Law § 5-313 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/md/family-law/md-code-family-sect-5-313/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard