Maryland Code

Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201 (2026)

§ 1-201

✓ current as of May 2026

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§1–201.

    (a)    For the purposes of subsection (b)(10) of this section, “child” means an unmarried individual under the age of 21 years.

    (b)    An equity court has jurisdiction over:

        (1)    adoption of a child, except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;

        (2)    alimony;

        (3)    annulment of a marriage;

        (4)    divorce;

        (5)    custody or guardianship of a child except for a child who is under the jurisdiction of any juvenile court and who previously has been adjudicated to be a child in need of assistance;

        (6)    visitation of a child;

        (7)    legitimation of a child;

        (8)    paternity;

        (9)    support of a child;

        (10)    custody or guardianship of an immigrant child pursuant to a motion for Special Immigrant Juvenile factual findings requesting a determination that the child was abused, neglected, or abandoned before the age of 18 years for purposes of § 101(a)(27)(J) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act; and

        (11)    a petition for authorization for a minor to marry.

    (c)    In exercising its jurisdiction over the custody, guardianship, visitation, or support of a child, an equity court may:

        (1)    direct who shall have the custody or guardianship of a child, pendente lite or permanently;

        (2)    determine who shall have visitation rights to a child;

        (3)    decide who shall be charged with the support of the child, pendente lite or permanently;

        (4)    from time to time, set aside or modify its decree or order concerning the child; or

        (5)    issue an injunction to protect a party to the action from physical harm or harassment.

    (d)    This section does not take away or impair the jurisdiction of a juvenile court or a criminal court with respect to the custody, guardianship, visitation, and support of a child.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 21 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1984–2025 · leading case: Recinos v. Escobar, 46 N.E.3d 60 (Mass. 2016).

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Recinos v. Escobar, 46 N.E.3d 60 (Mass. 2016). · cites it 2× “Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201 (LexisNexis 2012).”

Ricketts v. Ricketts, 903 A.2d 857 (Md. 2006). · cites it 3× “) § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. 9 And that jurisdiction exists without regard to whether one of the parties has been granted, or is entitled to, a limited divorce.”

Taylor v. Mandel, 935 A.2d 671 (Md. 2007). · cites it 2× “Section 1-201 of the Family Law Article provides that an equity court has jurisdiction over the custody, visitation, guardianship, and support of a child.”

Romero v. Perez, 205 A.3d 903 (Md. 2019). “), § 1-201(a) of the Family Law Article. To protect the child's identity, the child's initials are used throughout this opinion.”

Ledvinka v. Ledvinka, 840 A.2d 173 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “), § 1-201(a)(3) of the Family Law Article. Divorce, on the other hand, is a creature of statute.”

Nodeen v. Sigurdsson, 968 A.2d 1075 (Md. 2009). · cites it 2× “), § 1-201(b)(4) of the Family Law Article, which provides that a *177 court that issued a custody decree may “from time to time, set aside or modify its decree or order concerning the child.”

Taylor v. Taylor, 508 A.2d 964 (Md. 1986). “Section 3-602 has been re-codified without substantive change as Maryland Code (1984) § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. 9 . Article 72A, § 1 was re-codified in 1984 at § 5-203 of the Family Law Article.”

In Re Henrry P. B.-P., 173 A.3d 928 (Conn. 2017). “3d 60 (describing legislative responses, including Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201 , which expanded definition of "child" to "unmarried individual under the age of twenty-one" with respect to juvenile status petitions); H.”

In Re Arlene G., 483 A.2d 39 (Md. 1984). · cites it 3× “296, § 1, effective 1 October *361 1984, and now appear, without substantive change, in § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. 3 . Section 5-317(e) declares that a decree of guardianship (1) terminates the natural parents’ rights, duties and obligations toward the child; (2)…”

Unkle v. Unkle, 505 A.2d 849 (Md. 1986). “2d 1109 (1982); § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. In determining the proper amount of support, the chancellor must balance the best interests and needs of the child with the parents’ financial ability to meet those needs.”

In Re RW Heilig, 816 A.2d 68 (Md. 2003). “See § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. Actions to declare a person disabled and to appoint a guardian for the person or property of such a person are within the jurisdiction of equity courts.”

Kent Island, LLC v. DiNapoli, 61 A.3d 21 (Md. 2013). “Because § 1-201 of the Family Law Article conferred jurisdiction over custody issues, including the power to modify and enforce orders, to both courts, the court determined that jurisdiction to modify existed in both of the forums.”

Show all 21 citing cases →

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(a) — 2 cases

Romero v. Perez, 205 A.3d 903 (Md. 2019). “), § 1-201(a) of the Family Law Article. To protect the child's identity, the child's initials are used throughout this opinion.”

In Re Guardianship of Zealand W. & Sophia W., 102 A.3d 837 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2014).

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(a)(1) — 1 case

In Re Arlene G., 483 A.2d 39 (Md. 1984). “296, § 1, effective 1 October *361 1984, and now appear, without substantive change, in § 1-201 of the Family Law Article. 3 . Section 5-317(e) declares that a decree of guardianship (1) terminates the natural parents’ rights, duties and obligations toward the child; (2)…”

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(a)(3) — 1 case

Ledvinka v. Ledvinka, 840 A.2d 173 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2003). “), § 1-201(a)(3) of the Family Law Article. Divorce, on the other hand, is a creature of statute.”

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(a)(4) — 1 case

Port v. Cowan, 44 A.3d 970 (Md. 2012).

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(a)(5) — 2 cases

Sigurdsson v. Nodeen, 950 A.2d 848 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2008).

— Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 1-201(b)(4) — 2 cases

Nodeen v. Sigurdsson, 968 A.2d 1075 (Md. 2009). “), § 1-201(b)(4) of the Family Law Article, which provides that a *177 court that issued a custody decree may “from time to time, set aside or modify its decree or order concerning the child.”

Goicochea v. Goicochea (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2022).

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