Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 5-3A-45
Terms Used In Maryland Code, FAMILY LAW 5-3A-45
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
- Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
- state: means :
(1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or
(2) the District of Columbia. See
(1) placement of an individual to live with a preadoptive family; or
(2) an agreement for custody in contemplation of adoption.
(b) (1) In this subsection, “Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the Department.
(2) This section does not:
(i) prohibit payment, by an interested person, of:
1. a customary and reasonable charge or fee for adoption counseling, hospital, legal, or medical services;
2. reasonable expenses for transportation for medical care associated with the pregnancy or birth of the child;
3. reasonable expenses for food, clothing, and shelter for a birth mother if, on written advice of a physician, the birth mother is unable to work or otherwise support herself because of medical reasons associated with the pregnancy or birth of the child; or
4. reasonable expenses associated with any required court appearance relating to the adoption, including transportation, food, and lodging expenses; or
(ii) prevent the Administration, or a person that the Administration licenses or supervises, from receiving and accepting reasonable reimbursement for costs of an adoptive service in connection with adoption, if:
1. the reimbursement is in accordance with standards set by regulation of the Administration; and
2. the ability to provide this reimbursement does not affect:
A. the acceptability of any individual for adoptive services; or
B. the choice of the most suitable prospective adoptive parent.
(c) Each State‘s Attorney shall enforce this section.
(d) A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $100 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both, for each offense.