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§ 1-201. Jurisdiction of equity court

West's Annotated Code of MarylandFamily LawEffective: October 1, 2022

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Family Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 1. Definitions; General Provisions (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 2. General Provisions (Refs & Annos)
Effective: October 1, 2022
MD Code, Family Law, § 1-201
§ 1-201. Jurisdiction of equity court
Currentness
Child defined
(a) For the purposes of subsection (b)(10) of this section, “child” means an unmarried individual under the age of 21 years.
Jurisdiction of equity court
(b) An equity court has jurisdiction over:
(1) adoption of a child, except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;
(2) alimony;
(3) annulment of a marriage;
(4) divorce;
(5) custody or guardianship of a child except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;
(6) visitation of a child;
(7) legitimation of a child;
(8) paternity;
(9) support of a child;
(10) custody or guardianship of an immigrant child pursuant to a motion for Special Immigrant Juvenile factual findings requesting a determination that the child was abused, neglected, or abandoned before the age of 18 years for purposes of § 101(a)(27)(J) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act; and
(11) a petition for authorization for a minor to marry.
Custody, guardianship, and support of child
(c) In exercising its jurisdiction over the custody, guardianship, visitation, or support of a child, an equity court may:
(1) direct who shall have the custody or guardianship of a child, pendente lite or permanently;
(2) determine who shall have visitation rights to a child;
(3) decide who shall be charged with the support of the child, pendente lite or permanently;
(4) from time to time, set aside or modify its decree or order concerning the child; or
(5) issue an injunction to protect a party to the action from physical harm or harassment.
Jurisdiction of juvenile or criminal court not affected
(d) This section does not take away or impair the jurisdiction of a juvenile court or a criminal court with respect to the custody, guardianship, visitation, and support of a child.

Credits

Added by Acts 1984, c. 296, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1984. Amended by Acts 1986, c. 266, § 1, eff. July 1, 1986; Acts 1991, c. 227, § 1, eff. July 1, 1991; Acts 1993, c. 198, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1993; Acts 1996, c. 595, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 1996; Acts 1996, c. 596, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, c. 15, § 1, eff. April 8, 1997; Acts 1997, c. 14, § 1, eff. April 8, 1997; Acts 1997, c. 15, § 1, eff. April 8, 1997; Acts 1997, c. 496, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 2000, c. 61, § 1, eff. April 25, 2000; Acts 2014, c. 96, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2022, c. 175, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2022.
Formerly Art. 16, §§ 25, 66.
MD Code, Family Law, § 1-201, MD FAMILY § 1-201
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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