Maryland Laws
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Are Autopsy Reports Public in Maryland? (2026 Guide)
Yes. Unless the death is still under investigation, a Maryland autopsy report is a public record. Learn who can request one, the fee, and how to get a copy.
Are Brass Knuckles Legal in Maryland? (2026 Law)
Maryland Crim. Law § 4-101 lists metal knuckles as a weapon and bars concealed carry of dangerous weapons: a misdemeanor with up to 3 years, a $1,000 fine, or both.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Maryland? Psilocybin Laws (2026)
Psilocybin is Schedule I in Maryland. Possession is a misdemeanor of up to 1 year for a first conviction; sale is a felony of up to 5 years. No therapy program exists.
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Bankruptcy in Maryland (2026): Exemptions & Means Test
Maryland opted out of federal bankruptcy exemptions. Learn the $31,575 homestead cap, the $6,000 wildcard used to protect a vehicle, and the 2026 means test income.
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Common Law Marriage in Maryland: Is It Recognized? (2026)
Maryland does not allow common law marriage to be formed in-state but recognizes valid common law marriages from other states. Md. Code, Family Law § 2-401 requires a license.
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Does Maryland Allow Legal Separation? What Replaced It (2026)
Maryland has no legal separation, and limited divorce was repealed on October 1, 2023. See what the law offers instead: alimony, custody, agreements and divorce.
Does Maryland Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Maryland has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. HB 394 died in committee in 2025 without a vote, and a separate privacy-law question remains open.
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Felony vs Misdemeanor in Maryland: Sentences, Fines and Probation
Maryland has no felony classes: each statute sets its own term, and some misdemeanors carry up to 10 years. See penalty examples, probation caps and repeat rules.
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How Long Is a Life Sentence in Maryland? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Maryland: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find Someone's Cause of Death in Maryland (2026)
Find someone's cause of death in Maryland: it sits on the death certificate and any OCME autopsy report. The certificate is restricted; autopsy reports are public.
How to Get a Maryland Death Certificate (2026)
Get a Maryland death certificate from the Division of Vital Records. First certified copy $10, each additional $12. See who is eligible and how to order.
How to Get a Police Report in Maryland (2026 Guide)
How to get a Maryland crash report from MSP or BuyCrash, an incident report under the MPIA, and how Public Safety 3-511 sends bodycam access to agency policy.
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Is Embezzlement a Felony in Maryland? Theft, Forgery and Penalties
Maryland charges embezzlement as theft (Crim. Law 7-102), generally a felony from $1,500. A fiduciary misappropriation under 7-113 carries 1 to 5 years.
Is Jaywalking Illegal in Maryland? Crossing Rules and $50 Fine (2026)
Maryland pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to approaching vehicles (Transp. 21-503). The District Court preset fine is $50 with 0 points.
Is Kratom Legal in Maryland? Age 21 and 7-OH Cap (2026 Law)
Kratom is not listed in Maryland's drug schedules, but retailers may not sell it to anyone under 21 or above a 2% 7-OH cap. New ATCC enforcement began July 1, 2026.
Is Lane Splitting Legal in Maryland? (2026 Law and Penalty)
Lane splitting and filtering are illegal in Maryland. Transp. 21-1303(d) bars riding between lanes; the preset fine is $110 and 1 point. See the rules and penalties.
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Maryland Adoption Records: Original Birth Certificates at Age 21
Maryland adoptees 21 and older can apply for the original birth certificate, but a biological parent can file a disclosure veto blocking release. Fee $10.
Maryland Age of Consent Laws: Statutes, Penalties and Reporting
How Maryland criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and by position of authority to age 18, with penalties, the October 2026 change and reporting.
Maryland AI Laws and Regulation (2026)
Guide to Maryland AI laws, regulation, and legislation covering deepfakes, employment AI, healthcare AI, and more.
Maryland AI Meeting Recording Laws: All-Party Consent Required
Maryland all-party consent law requires every participant to agree before AI meeting recording. Felony penalties include up to 5 years in prison and $10,000 fine.
Maryland Alimony Laws: Rehabilitative and Indefinite Alimony (2026)
Maryland favors rehabilitative alimony. Indefinite alimony requires proving the recipient cannot become self-supporting, or that living standards would be unconscionably disparate. No formula.
Maryland Annulment Laws: Void Marriages and How to File (2026)
Maryland circuit courts can annul a marriage under Family Law § 1-201. Learn which marriages are void, where to file, and what happens to children and property.
Maryland Assault Laws: First and Second Degree Assault Penalties
Maryland folds battery into assault under Crim. Law 3-201. Second-degree assault is a misdemeanor with up to 10 years; first-degree is a 25-year felony.
Maryland At-Will Employment Laws: Exceptions and Your Rights
Is Maryland an at-will state? Yes. Learn Maryland's public-policy and implied-contract exceptions, right-to-work status, and federal protections against wrongful firing.
Maryland Audio Recording Laws: Two-Party Consent Rules and Penalties (2026)
Maryland audio recording laws require all-party consent under Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. ss 10-402. Learn the rules, penalties, and exceptions for recording in Maryland.
Maryland Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to Maryland background check laws covering Ban the Box, expungement reform, lookback periods, FCRA rules, and employer and housing screening.
Maryland Biometric Privacy Laws: Collection, Consent & Penalties (2026)
Learn how Maryland's MODPA protects biometric data like fingerprints and retina scans. Covers the strict necessity standard, sale ban, breach rules, and AG enforcement.
Maryland Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Who Can Get One
Maryland's Division of Vital Records issues certified birth certificates for $10 a copy. How to order online, by mail or in person, plus eligibility and corrections.
Maryland Car Accident Laws: Fault, Insurance, and Your Claim
Maryland is an at-fault state with pure contributory negligence: even 1% fault bars all recovery. Learn PIP, 30/60/15 minimums, UM/UIM rules, and the 3-year SOL.
Maryland Car Seat Laws (2026): Ages, Fines & Taxi Rule
Maryland requires rear-facing to age 2, a safety seat to age 8 or 4'9", and a belt or seat to 16. Fines are $50, waivable on proof of purchase.
Maryland Child Custody Laws (2026): Types, Best Interests, and Your Rights
Maryland custody law now has 16 codified best-interests factors (HB 1191, eff. Oct. 1, 2025). No joint-custody presumption. Learn legal vs physical custody, relocation, and modification rules.
Maryland Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator
Maryland uses the Income Shares Model for child support. Guidelines apply up to $30,000/mo combined income. Learn about 2025 multifamily adjustment, enforcement, and how to modify.
Maryland Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them
Maryland Judiciary Case Search is free and statewide. Learn how to use it, what's excluded, and how shielding differs from expungement under Maryland law.
Maryland Dashcam Laws: Legality, Audio Rules, and Evidence Use (2026)
Maryland dashcam laws allow video recording while driving but restrict audio capture under ss 10-402. Learn windshield mounting rules, passenger consent, and evidence use.
Maryland Data Breach Notification Laws: Reporting Rules & Timelines (2026)
Maryland requires data breach notification within 45 days. Learn about AG-first reporting, protected personal information, encryption safe harbors, and penalties.
Maryland Data Privacy Laws: MODPA Consumer Rights Guide (2026)
Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA) bans selling sensitive data, limits collection to what is necessary, and protects minors under 18.
Maryland Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One
Maryland is a closed-record state. Only surviving relatives, authorized representatives, and funeral directors can buy a certified death certificate ($10). Here is how to order one.
Maryland Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession
Maryland debt collection laws: the 75%/30x wage garnishment formula, the 2016 no-revival-by-payment rule, and repossession notice and redemption rights.
Maryland Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026)
Maryland outlaws deepfake intimate images (SB 360, eff. July 1, 2025) and election deepfakes (SB 361, eff. June 1, 2025). Learn penalties, civil rights, and federal protections.
Maryland Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Maryland defamation laws explained: a one-year statute of limitations (CJ 5-105), the per se categories, anti-SLAPP, and how to sue for libel or slander.
Maryland Disorderly Conduct and Trespass Laws: Penalties (2026)
Maryland disorderly conduct (Crim. Law 10-201) carries up to 60 days or $500. Trespass on posted property or after notice starts at 90 days or $500.
Maryland Divorce Laws (2026): Grounds, Residency, and Process
Maryland divorce laws updated 2023: no-fault only, fault grounds repealed, 6-month separation cut from 12, mutual consent and irreconcilable differences explained.
Maryland Dog Bite Laws: Liability and Victim Rights
Learn Maryland dog bite laws under CJP Section 3-1901: strict liability rules, damages caps, dangerous dog penalties, and the 3-year filing deadline.
Maryland Drone Laws: Privacy, Trespass & Warrant Rules Explained
Maryland has no civilian drone-privacy statute, so disputes rely on common-law claims like Furman v. Sheppard and general trespass law.
Maryland DUI & DWI Laws: Penalties, BAC Limit (2026)
Maryland DUI and DWI laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under Transportation Article 21-902, license suspension, interlock, and refusal rules.
Maryland E-Scooter Laws: Sidewalk, Helmet & Age Rules (2026)
Maryland classifies e-scooters as bicycles, under 100 lb and 20 mph, requires a helmet under 16, and Jay's Law flipped the statewide sidewalk default to allowed as of October 2025.
Maryland Easements, Landlocked Property and Eminent Domain (2026)
Maryland prescriptive easements take 20 years of adverse, exclusive, uninterrupted use. See the landlocked-land rule and how condemnation pay and fees work.
Maryland Emancipation Laws: How Minors Become Emancipated in Maryland (2026)
Maryland has no emancipation statute. Learn how Maryland minors become emancipated through marriage, military service, or common law, and what rights apply under Maryland law.
Maryland Employee Monitoring Laws: Passwords, Cameras & GPS
Maryland employee monitoring laws explained: the social media password ban under Lab. & Empl. section 3-712, two-party consent recording, and the visual surveillance statute.
Maryland Expungement Laws: Eligibility, Waiting Periods, and How to File (2026)
Maryland expungement law (Md. Code, Criminal Procedure § 10-101 et seq.) allows expungement of non-convictions and select convictions. Learn eligibility, waiting periods, shielding, and the 2023 cannabis reforms.
Maryland Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)
Maryland extortion is a felony up to 10 years for threats to accuse or injure, and value-graded up to 25 years under 3-701. See sexual extortion rules too.
Maryland Final Paycheck Laws: Deadline and Treble Damages
Maryland final paycheck law: the next-payday deadline under Lab. and Empl. Section 3-505, the discretionary up-to-3x penalty, and vacation payout rules.
Maryland Fireworks Laws (2026): Permit-Only, Age 16
Maryland fireworks are permit-only under Public Safety 10-104/10-110. Only chlorate-free sparklers and CPSC ground devices are exempt, sold to age 16+.
Maryland GPS Tracking Laws: Is It Legal to Put a Tracker on a Car? (2026)
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on a car in Maryland? Secret tracking can be stalking under Md. Crim. Law 3-802, with up to 5 years and a $5,000 fine.
Maryland Grandparents' Rights: The Koshko Standard Behind a Bare Statute
Maryland grandparent visitation is governed by Koshko v. Haining, not the two-sentence statute. Custody, adoption, and filing explained.
Maryland Guardianship Laws: Minors, Adults and Property (2026)
How Maryland guardianship works: clear and convincing proof, two medical certificates, appointed counsel, standby guardians, kinship care affidavits and alternatives.
Maryland Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do
Learn Maryland hit and run laws under Transportation Article Sections 20-102 to 20-104. Understand felony penalties, contributory negligence, and your obligations.
Maryland Homestead Exemption: Tax Credit, Deadline and How to Apply
Maryland has no general homestead exemption. Its Homestead Tax Credit caps yearly assessment increases. How to apply to SDAT, deadlines and other home credits.
Maryland Identity Theft Laws
Maryland identity fraud, Crim. Law 8-301, tiers to 20 years by value. See the mandatory police report, the Identity Theft Passport, and the freeze law.
Maryland Jury Duty Laws (2026): Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules
Maryland jury duty rules: $30 a day plus county supplement, the age 70 exemption on request, employer protections, penalties and the October 2026 conviction rule.