1. (a) Except as provided in § 5-331 of this subtitle, a petition for guardianship shall precede a petition for adoption under this subtitle.
2. (b) Only the individual who would be subject to guardianship or a local department may file a petition for guardianship under this Part II of this subtitle.
3. (c) A petition for guardianship of an individual shall be filed before the individual attains 18 years of age.

4. (d) A petitioner under this section shall attach to a petition:

   1. (1) all written consents for the guardianship that the petitioner has;

   2. (2) if applicable:

      1. (i) proof of guardianship or relinquishment of parental rights granted by an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction; and
      2. (ii) certification that the guardianship or relinquishment was granted in compliance with the jurisdiction's laws; and

   3. (3) a notice of filing that:

      1. (i) states the date on which the petition was filed;
      2. (ii) identifies each person whose consent was filed with the petition;
      3. (iii) states the obligation of a parent to give the juvenile court and local department notice of each change in the parent's address;
      4. (iv) has printed on it the website that the Department maintains under § 2-302 of the Human Services Article; and
      5. (v) includes no identifying information that would be in violation of an agreement or consent.

Added by Acts 2005, c. 464, § 3, eff. Jan. 1, 2006. Amended by Acts 2007, c. 8, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2007.