Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 3-810

CAUTION: READ FULL TEXT OF SECTION FOR SPECIAL NOTE

      (a)      Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the Maryland Rules govern the format of a petition and of other pleadings and the procedures to be followed by the court and parties under this subtitle.

      (b)      (1)      In any proceeding in which a child is alleged to be in need of assistance or in any voluntary placement hearing, the court may exclude the general public from a hearing and admit only those persons having a direct interest in the proceeding and their representatives.

            (2)      The court shall exclude the general public from a hearing where the proceedings involve discussion of confidential information from the child abuse and neglect report and record, or any information obtained from the child welfare agency concerning a child or family who is receiving Title IV-B child welfare services or Title IV-E foster care or adoption assistance.

      (c)      The clerk of the court shall make a separate file for each case.

** SPECIAL NOTE: EFFECTIVE - JANUARY 1, 2006 - CHAPTER 464 - 2005 **

      (a)      (1)      Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the Maryland Rules govern the format of a petition and of other pleadings and the procedures to be followed by the court and parties under this subtitle.

            (2)      Each document that a local department serves on a parent under this subtitle shall include information about the website that the Department of Human Resources maintains under Article 88A, § 18 of the Code.

      (b)      (1)      In any proceeding in which a child is alleged to be in need of assistance or in any voluntary placement hearing, the court may exclude the general public from a hearing and admit only those persons having a direct interest in the proceeding and their representatives.

            (2)      The court shall exclude the general public from a hearing where the proceedings involve discussion of confidential information from the child abuse and neglect report and record, or any information obtained from the child welfare agency concerning a child or family who is receiving Title IV-B child welfare services or Title IV-E foster care or adoption assistance.

      (c)      The clerk of the court shall make a separate file for each case.