(a) (1) A request for an advance determination under § 6–202 of this subtitle shall be submitted at least 30 days, but not more than 2 years and 1 month, prior to the deadline for the filing of the petition.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, within 5 business days of receiving a request for an advance determination, the election authority shall make the determination.
(3) Within 10 business days of receiving a request for an advance determination of the sufficiency of a summary of a local law or charter amendment contained in a petition under § 6–202(b) of this subtitle, the election director shall make the determination.
(b) Within 2 business days after an advance determination under § 6–202 of this subtitle, or a determination of deficiency under § 6–206 or § 6–208 of this subtitle, the chief election official of the election authority shall notify the sponsor of the determination.
(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the verification and counting of validated signatures on a petition shall be completed within 20 days after the filing of the petition.
(2) If a petition seeks to place the name of an individual on the ballot for a special election, the verification and counting of validated signatures on the petition shall be completed within 10 days after the filing of the petition.
(d) Within 1 business day of the completion of the verification and counting processes, or, if judicial review is pending, within 1 business day after a final judicial decision, the appropriate election official shall make the certifications required by § 6–208 of this subtitle.
(e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, any judicial review of a determination, as provided in § 6–209 of this subtitle, shall be sought by the 10th day following the determination to which the judicial review relates.
(2) (i) If the petition seeks to place the name of an individual or a question on the ballot at any election, except a presidential primary election, judicial review shall be sought by the day specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection or the 69th day preceding that election, whichever day is earlier.
(ii) If the petition seeks to place the name of an individual on the ballot for a presidential primary election in accordance with § 8–502 of this article, judicial review of a determination made under § 6–208(a)(2) of this subtitle shall be sought by the 5th day following the determination to which the judicial review relates.
(iii) If the petition seeks to place the name of an individual on the ballot for a special election, judicial review shall be sought by the 2nd day following the determination to which the judicial review relates.
(3) (i) A judicial proceeding under this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with the Maryland Rules, except that:
1. the case shall be heard and decided without a jury and as expeditiously as the circumstances require; and
2. an appeal shall be taken directly to the Court of Appeals within 5 days after the date of the decision of the circuit court.
(ii) The Court of Appeals shall give priority to hear and decide an appeal brought under subparagraph (i)2 of this paragraph as expeditiously as the circumstances require.