§ 3-810. Form of pleadings; procedures; confidentiality

   (a) Applicability of Maryland Rules. --

   (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the Maryland Rules govern the format of a petition and of other pleadings and the procedures to be followed by the court and parties under this subtitle.

   (2) Each document that a local department serves on a parent under this subtitle shall include information about the website that the Department of Human Resources maintains under § 2-302 of the Human Services Article.

(b) Confidentiality; exclusion of general public. --

   (1) In any proceeding in which a child is alleged to be in need of assistance or in any voluntary placement hearing, the court may exclude the general public from a hearing and admit only those persons having a direct interest in the proceeding and their representatives.

   (2) The court shall exclude the general public from a hearing where the proceedings involve discussion of confidential information from the child abuse and neglect report and record, or any information obtained from the child welfare agency concerning a child or family who is receiving Title IV-B child welfare services or Title IV-E foster care or adoption assistance.

(c) Separate file for each case. -- The clerk of the court shall make a separate file for each case.

HISTORY: 2001, ch. 415, § 3; 2003, ch. 250; 2005, ch. 464, § 3; 2007, ch. 8, § 1.