§ 3-824. Emergency medical or psychiatric treatment; withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining procedure

   (a) Hearing and ruling on expedited basis. -- The court shall hear and rule on a petition seeking an order for emergency medical or psychiatric treatment on an expedited basis.

(b) Emergency medical, dental or surgical treatment. --

   (1) The court may order emergency medical, dental, or surgical treatment of a child alleged to have a condition or illness that, in the opinion of a licensed physician or dentist, as the case may be, requires immediate treatment, if the child's parent, guardian, or custodian is not available or, without good cause, refuses to consent to the treatment.

   (2) A child may be placed in an emergency facility on an emergency basis under Title 10, Subtitle 6, Part IV of the Health - General Article.

(c) Decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining procedure. -- The court shall apply the factors specified in § 13-711 (b) of the Estates and Trusts Article, to the extent relevant, when deciding whether to withhold or withdraw a life-sustaining procedure, as defined in § 13-711 (c) of the Estates and Trusts Article.

HISTORY: 2001, ch. 415, § 3; 2002, ch. 19, § 1.