1. (a)

   1. (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. (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 Services maintains under § 2-302 of the Human Services Article.

2. (b)

   1. (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. (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.
3. (c) The clerk of the court shall make a separate file for each case.

Added by Acts 2001, c. 415, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2003, c. 250, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2003; Acts 2005, c. 464, § 3, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2007, c. 8, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2007; Acts 2017, c. 62, § 6.