Md. Code, Family Law § 5-325
This is the official text of Md. Code, Family Law § 5-325, part of Maryland’s Code, Family Law — governs marriage, divorce, child custody and support, and adoption.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§5–325.
Official statutory text
(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) 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.
(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) 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.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Dealing with a family matter in Maryland?
See all Maryland Family lawyers
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.