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Legal Statutes: Maryland

UPDATED October 2, 2012

Maryland Statutes


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Subtitle 3. Removal of Child from State; Child Abduction

back to top§ 9-305. Acts prohibited outside Maryland

Prohibited acts; outside of this state

(a) If a child is under the age of 16 years, a relative who knows that another person is the lawful custodian of the child may not, with the intent to deprive the lawful custodian of the custody of the child:

(1) abduct, take, or carry away the child from the lawful custodian to a place in another state;

(2) having acquired lawful possession of the child, detain the child in another state for more than 48 hours after the lawful custodian demands that the child be returned;

(3) harbor or hide the child in another state knowing that possession of the child was obtained by another relative in violation of this section; or

(4) act as an accessory to an act prohibited by this section.

Prohibited acts; outside of the United States

(b) If a child is under the age of 16 years, a relative who knows that another person is the lawful custodian of the child may not, with the intent to deprive the lawful custodian of the custody of the child:

(1) abduct, take, or carry away the child from the lawful custodian to a place that is outside of the United States or a territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

(2) having acquired lawful possession of the child, detain the child in a place that is outside of the United States or a territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for more than 48 hours after the lawful custodian demands that the child be returned;

(3) harbor or hide the child in a place that is outside of the United States or a territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico knowing that possession of the child was obtained by another relative in violation of this section; or

(4) act as an accessory to an act prohibited by this section.
Added by Acts 1984, c. 296, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1984. Amended by Acts 1995, c. 227, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1995; Acts 2001, c. 505, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2001; Acts 2009, c. 666, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2009.