Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

CINA — Guardianship — Foster parent’s motion to intervene B.F., appellant, is the former foster mother of A.W., the respondent minor child in the child welfare proceeding below. B.F. has appealed the orders of the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Timeliness of exceptions On May 3, 2021, a magistrate in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County issued a proposed order recommending that the permanency plan for P.N., a child in need of ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Due process This appeal arises from an order of the Circuit Court for Harford County terminating the parental rights of J.T., appellant (“Father”), to his daughter, W.K. Father is serving a sentence of ...

CINA — Missing witness rule — Absence of child’s testimony On September 17, 2021, the Howard County Department of Social Services (the “Department”), appellee, removed M.B. from the home where he lived with his mother and two sisters on allegations ...

CINA — Visitation at party’s discretion — Improper delegation of authority The appellant, S.B. (“Mother”), is the mother of Z.B. (born in 2014) and Z.I. (born in 2018) (collectively “children”). In a child in need of assistance (“CINA”) proceeding, the ...

CINA — Neglect — Remand for mental disorder determination In this appeal we are asked to review the juvenile court for Calvert County’s determination that sixteen-year-old A.C. is a child in need of assistance (CINA). Read the opinion

CINA — Disposition proceeding — Request for delay This consolidated case arises from a child custody adjudication/disposition order of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, sitting as a juvenile court (“circuit court”). Read the opinion

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Reasonable reunification efforts This case comes as an appeal from a guardianship case concerning J.J., the minor biological daughter of A.D. (“Mother”) and R.J. (“Father”) (collectively, “Appellants”). Read the opinion

CINA — Neglect — Sufficiency of evidence In June 2021, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services filed a petition in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, alleging that infant D.S. was a child in need of assistance (“CINA”) due ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Sufficiency of evidence This appeal arises from a decision by the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, sitting as a juvenile court, terminating the parental rights of Ms. S. to her son, D.S., and ...