Terms Used In Maryland Code, COURTS AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS 3-8A-18

  • Adult: means an individual at least 18 years old. See
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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) The provisions of this section do not apply to a peace order request or a peace order proceeding.

(b) After a petition or citation has been filed with the court under this subtitle, and unless jurisdiction has been waived, the court shall hold an adjudicatory hearing.

(c) (1) Before a child is adjudicated delinquent, the allegations in the petition that the child has committed a delinquent act must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

(2) Before a child is found to have committed the violation charged in a citation, the allegations in the citation must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

(d) If an adult is charged under this subtitle, the allegations must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

(e) In all other cases under this subtitle the allegations must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence.

(f) A court may issue a body attachment for witnesses as provided by Maryland Rule 4-267, if:

(1) The witness is at least 18 years old; and

(2) The case was transferred to the court under § 4-202 of the Criminal Procedure Article.