Md. Rule 6-121 (2026)

(a) Caption. Unless a Rule in this Title specifies a different form of caption, all papers filed with the court or the Register of Wills shall be appropriately captioned as follows:

IN THE ORPHANS' COURT

(OR)

BEFORE THE REGISTER OF WILLS

FOR

________________________________________, MARYLAND

IN THE ESTATE

:

ESTATE NO. ____________________

:

OF ____________________

:

(b) Requirements.

(1) Legibility; Durability. A paper and the writing on it shall be of permanent quality and the writing shall be legible.

(2) Size of Paper; Orientation. A paper filed shall be printed, typed, or handwritten on paper 8 1/2 inches wide and 11 inches long, in portrait orientation.

(3) Ink Color; Margins; One-sided Paper. A paper filed shall be printed, typed, or handwritten in black or blue ink, shall have a margin of not less than one inch at the top, bottom, and each side of the page, except that the page number may be written within the bottom margin, and shall make use of only one side of the paper.

(4) Type; Font Size. A computer-generated paper prepared electronically and filed shall be formatted in at least an eleven-point font size. A typewritten paper prepared and filed shall be typed in at least a ten-point font size.

(c) Forms; Existing Documents. Sections (a) and (b) of this Rule do not apply to (1) a form approved by the Registers of Wills and posted on the Register of Wills' website and (2) a document already in existence that is filed as an exhibit to a petition or paper. However, sections (a) and (b) do apply to a document prepared as an exhibit.

Committee note: Rule 6-108 (a) prohibits a Register of Wills from refusing to accept for filing any paper on the ground that it is not in the form mandated by a Rule in this Title. This includes the formatting requirements under sections (b) and (c) of this Rule. An orphans' court has the discretion, however, to determine that a paper has been prepared in a manner insufficient for the court to adequately review its contents, and order the filing party to file a revised paper that complies with the provisions of section (b) of this Rule.

Credits

[Adopted June 28, 1990, eff. Jan. 1, 1991. Amended May 14, 1992, eff. July 1, 1992; Feb. 23, 2026, eff. July 1, 2026.]