Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

CINA — Statutory requirements — Adherence This case is before us from the Circuit Court for Cecil County, sitting as the juvenile court, where minor child M.H. was determined to be a Child in Need of Assistance (“CINA”) after contested ...

CINA — Neglect — Totality of the circumstances Sean J., a 17-year-old youth who is currently in pretrial detention awaiting trial on charges that he murdered his first child, has appealed from a determination that his second child, S.J., is ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Exceptional circumstances We have seen this heart-wrenching case on various procedural postures before, and we are now called upon to address the termination of parental rights (“TPR”). J.N.T. (“Mother”) gave birth to a ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Exceptional circumstances Appellant, A.L. (“Father”), appeals the termination of his parental rights to G.P., his minor son, who was born to A.H. (“Mother”) in March 2015. The Cecil County Department of Social Services ...

CINA — Neglect — Homelessness The Baltimore County Department of Social Services (“Department”) filed a petition to have J.I., the minor child of C.I. (“Mother”) and G.F. (“Father”), declared a child in need of assistance (“CINA”) in the Circuit Court ...

CINA — Reunification efforts — Effect of pandemic When M. was three-years old, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, sitting as a juvenile court, declared her to be a child in need of assistance (“CINA”) due to neglect, removed her ...

CINA — Exceptions — Timeliness The Circuit Court for Howard County, sitting as a juvenile court, ordered the transfer of custody of minor child R.C. from biological mother (“Ms. D.” or “Mother”) to biological father (“Mr. C.” or “Father”), following ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Timeliness of objection D. D. appeals from a judgment of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, sitting as a juvenile court, that terminated her parental rights in I. C., one of her children. ...

CINA — Change in permanency play — From sole to concurrent reunification with parent Mr. M., the father of nine-year-old D.M. and seven-year-old J.M., appeals the order of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, sitting as the juvenile court, amending ...

CINA — Shelter care petition — Visitation On September 10, 2020, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (“DSS” or “the Department”) filed a Shelter Care Petition for the appellant, G.T. The Department alleged that G.T.’s mother, Donna (“Mother”), had ...