Rule 9-102.Consents; revocation of consent
Last amended July 1, 2026 · Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified September 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 9-102
Amendment History
Maryland publishes each rule’s adoption and amendment record as a bracketed “Credits” note beneath the rule, giving the date of each Rules Order and the date it took effect. It is reproduced verbatim below.
[Adopted June 5, 1996, eff. Jan. 1, 1997. Amended eff. Oct. 5, 1999; June 4, 2007, eff. July 1, 2007; June 20, 2017, eff. Aug. 1, 2017; Nov. 9, 2021, eff. Jan. 1, 2022; Nov. 17, 2023 eff. Nov. 20, 2023; Feb. 23, 2026, eff. July 1, 2026.]
Plain-English Summary
Consent is the hinge of an adoption. Without the consents the statute requires, no judgment of adoption or guardianship may be entered unless some other provision permits it.
The rule does not leave the wording to the parties. Nine forms are set out at the end of the Title, and a consent signed on or after July 1, 2007 must be substantially in the applicable one. A parent's consent goes on one of four forms, depending on whether the proceeding is a private agency guardianship, a public agency adoption without prior termination, or an independent adoption with or without termination. A child's consent goes on one of two. An attorney's affidavit about the validity of a consent goes on one of three. The disclosure vetoes that attach to the consent forms are published by the Department of Human Services rather than reprinted here.
Revocation is deliberately narrow. A parent may revoke only by a signed writing actually delivered, by mail or in person, to the clerk of the circuit court named in the consent — not to a social worker, not to a lawyer. An agency, guardian or adoptee revokes either on the record at a hearing or by a signed writing filed with the court. If a revocation reaches an agency's agent, the agent must deliver it promptly to the court. The court then sends every party and the person who revoked a copy of the revocation, and schedules an immediate hearing on the status of the petition and, if necessary, temporary custody of the child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a parent take back a consent to adoption?
Yes, within the period the Family Law Article allows for that kind of proceeding. The revocation must be a signed writing actually delivered by mail or in person to the clerk of the circuit court designated in the consent.
Does telling the agency or the lawyer count as revoking?
Not by itself. A parent revokes only by delivering a signed writing to the clerk. If a revocation is handed to an agency's agent, the agent must deliver it promptly to the court — but the rule puts the delivery obligation on the agent, not the court's receipt in doubt.
What happens after a consent is revoked?
The court sends a copy of the revocation and a hearing notice to all parties and to the person who revoked, and schedules an immediate hearing to determine the status of the petition and, if necessary, temporary custody of the child.
Do I have to use the official consent form?
A consent signed on or after July 1, 2007 must be substantially in the applicable form printed at the end of Title 9. Which form depends on who is consenting and what kind of proceeding it is.