Section 5-347 – Hearing on Adoption Petition
(a) A juvenile court shall hold a hearing before entering an order for adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle. (b) Before a hearing under this section, a juvenile court shall give notice to all of the parties.
Section 5-348 – Time Limits
(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a juvenile court shall rule on the adoption petition under this Part IV of this subtitle promptly but no later than 180 days after the petition is filed. (b) A juvenile court may not enter an order for adoption of a child under this Part IV of this subtitle […]
Section 5-349 – Considerations
(a) In ruling on a petition for a child’s adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle, a juvenile court shall consider: (1) any assurance by the local department to fund needed support for the child; (2) all factors necessary to determine the child’s best interests; and (3) a report by a child placement agency, completed in accordance with […]
Section 5-350 – Authority to Grant Adoption
(a) A juvenile court may enter an order for a child’s adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle only if: (1) for an individual under the age of 18 years, the individual’s guardian consents; and (2) for an individual who is at least 10 years old, the individual consents. (b) (1) (i) In this subsection, “disability” means: 1. a physical or […]
Section 5-351 – Consent
(a) Consent of a party to an adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle is not valid unless: (1) the consent is given in a language that the party understands; (2) if given in a language other than English, the consent: (i) is given before a judge on the record; or (ii) is accompanied by the affidavit of a […]
Section 5-352 – Order for Adoption
(a) (1) This subsection does not limit the right of an individual to provide for distribution of property by will. (2) Except as provided in § 2-123 of the Real Property Article, after a juvenile court enters an order for adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle: (i) the adoptee: 1. is the child of the adoptive parent for […]
Section 5-353 – Petition to Invalidate
If a petition to invalidate an order for adoption under this Part IV of this subtitle on the basis of a jurisdictional or procedural defect is filed more than 1 year after entry of the order, a juvenile court shall dismiss the petition.
Section 5-356 – Medical and Mental Health Information
(a) A local department shall make reasonable efforts to compile and make available to a prospective adoptive parent: (1) all of the prospective adoptee’s medical and mental health records that the local department has; or (2) a comprehensive medical and mental health history of the prospective adoptee. (b) On request of an adoptive or prospective adoptive parent, a local […]
Section 5-357 – Court and Department Records
(a) (1) (i) On request of an adoptee or adoptive or former parent of an adoptee and without a showing of a need, a local department shall provide information, other than identifying information, in its adoption record on the adoptee. (ii) If a local department denies a request under this paragraph, then on petition of an adoptee or adoptive […]
Section 5-358 – Urgently Needed Medical Information
(a) If, after a hearing on a petition of an adoptee or former parent, a juvenile court is satisfied that the adoptee or blood relative of the adoptee or former parent urgently needs medical information not in local department and juvenile court records, the juvenile court may appoint an intermediary to try to contact the adoptee […]