(a) (1) At each CINA hearing, the court shall inquire into, and make findings of fact on the record as to, the identity and current address of each parent of each child before the court. (2) In carrying out paragraph (1) of this subsection, the court shall: (i) Inform all parties present of their continuing obligation to assist the court in identifying and locating each parent of each child; (ii) Inform the parents present of their continuing obligation to keep the clerk of the court apprised of their current address; (iii) Inform the parents present of available means to establish paternity, if not yet established; and (iv) If appropriate, refer the parents to the appropriate support enforcement agency to establish paternity and support. (b) Each parent of a child who is the subject of a CINA proceeding shall notify the court and the local department of all changes in the parent’s address. (c) The clerk of the court shall keep a listing of every address provided by a parent of a child who is the subject of a CINA proceeding. (d) On request of a local department, the clerk’s office shall disclose to the local department all addresses listed by a parent of a CINA within the a child who is the subject of a CINA proceeding. (d) On request of a local department, the clerk’s office shall disclose to the local department all addresses listed by a parent of a CINA within the preceding 270 days. (e) The court may: (1) Order a parent or putative parent to: (i) Apply for child support services with the appropriate support enforcement agency; and (ii) Cooperate with the appropriate support enforcement agency to establish paternity and child support; and (2) Make a finding of paternity in accordance with Title 5, Subtitle 10, Part VI of the Family Law Article. (f) Any court may consider evidence taken and findings made on the record in a CINA hearing and in a paternity, custody, child support, or guardianship proceeding regarding that child or a sibling of a child.
Maryland Legal Code