Terms Used In Maryland Code, COURTS AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS 3-804

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the court has jurisdiction under this subtitle only if the alleged CINA or child in a voluntary placement is under the age of 18 years when the petition is filed.

(2) The court has jurisdiction under this subtitle over a former CINA:

(i) Whose commitment to the local department was rescinded after the individual reached the age of 18 years but before the individual reached the age of 20 years and 6 months; and

(ii) Who did not exit foster care due to reunification, adoption, guardianship, marriage, or military duty.

(b) If the court obtains jurisdiction over a child, that jurisdiction continues in that case until the child reaches the age of 21 years, unless the court terminates the case.

(c) After the court terminates jurisdiction, a custody order issued by the court in a CINA case:

(1) Remains in effect; and

(2) May be revised or superseded only by another court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, if the court enters an order directing the provision of services to a child under § 3-819(c)(3) or § 3-823(h)(2)(vii) of this subtitle, the court retains jurisdiction to rule on any motion related to the enforcement, modification, or termination of the order, for as long as the order is effective.