Maryland Family Law Section 5-325

CAUTION: READ FULL TEXT OF SECTION FOR SPECIAL NOTE

      A court may not receive a petition to invalidate a final decree of adoption because of a procedural or jurisdictional defect unless the petition is filed within 1 year after the entry of the final decree of adoption.

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

      (a)      An order for guardianship of an individual:

            (1)      except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, § 4-414 of the Estates and Trusts Article, and § 2-123 of the Real Property Article, terminates a parent's duties, obligations, and rights toward the individual;

            (2)      eliminates the need for a further consent by a parent to adoption of the individual;

            (3)      grants a local department guardianship with the right to consent to the individual's adoption or other planned permanent living arrangement; and

            (4)      unless a timely appeal is filed, terminates the individual's CINA case.

      (b)      (1)      Unless a juvenile court gives legal custody to another person, a child's guardian under this subtitle has legal custody.

            (2)      (i)      Unless a juvenile court orders otherwise and subject to review by the juvenile court, a child's guardian may make all decisions affecting the child's education, health, and welfare, including consenting:

                        1.      to adoption of the child;

                        2.      to application by the child for a driver's license;

                        3.      to enlistment by the child in the armed forces;

                        4.      to marriage of the child; and

                        5.      subject to subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, to medical, psychiatric, or surgical treatment.

                  (ii)      A child's guardian:

                        1.      may have the child admitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility in accordance with the standards for emergency commitment in § 10-617 of the Health - General Article for not more than 20 days;

                        2.      except as provided in item 1 of this subparagraph, may not place the child in an inpatient psychiatric facility without express authorization of the juvenile court.

                  (iii)      1.      A child's guardian may not withhold or withdraw a life-sustaining procedure without the prior authorization of a juvenile court.

                        2.      In deciding whether to grant authorization, a juvenile court shall apply the factors set forth in § 13-711(b) of the Estates and Trusts Article.

            (3)      A local department shall notify a juvenile court, a child's attorney, and the attorney for each other party who has not waived the right to notice:

                  (i)      within 2 business days after the child's placement changes or the time required under § 5-326(b) of this subtitle, whichever is shorter;

                  (ii)      within 2 business days after the child is placed in a psychiatric facility; or

                  (iii)      within 2 business days after the child is absent from a placement for more than a week.

            (4)      A local department shall give a child's attorney the child's new address and telephone number within 2 business days after the address or telephone number changes.