146                                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                                [Ch. 2

(B) APPROVAL OF PETITION.

IN THE CASE OF A CHILD ALLEGED TO BE DELINQUENT,
IN NEED OF SUPERVISION, NEGLECTED, DEPENDENT, OR
MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, THE INTAKE CONSULTANT OR OTHER
PERSON AUTHORIZED BY THE COURT SHALL MAKE THE INQUIRY
AND APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE FILING OF THE PETITION.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section presently appears as
the first sentence and subsection (a) of
Art. 26, §70-6. Reference to §70-2 in
subsection (a) is proposed for deletion as
confusing since §70—2 does not provide for
filing of any petition. To fill the gap,
the phrase "against a child" is inserted.
The only other changes made are in style.

SEC. 3-811. INFORMAL ADJUSTMENT.

(A)   COUNSELING BEFORE PETITION IS FILED.

BEFORE A PETITION AGAINST A CHILD IS FILED, THE
INTAKE CONSULTANT OR ANY OTHER PERSON AUTHORIZED BY.
THE COURT MAY COUNSEL AND ADVISE THE PARTIES AND
PROPOSE AN INFORMAL ADJUSTMENT IF IT APPEARS:

(1)   THE CASE FALLS WITHIN THE COURT'S
JURISDICTION UPON THE FACTS ADMITTED BY THE PARTIES;

(2)     COUNSEL AND ADVICE, WITHOUT AN
ADJUDICATION, WOULD BE TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
PUBLIC AND CHILD; AND

(3)    THE PARTIES CONSENT IN WRITING TO THE
INFORMAL ADJUSTMENT WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT CONSENT IS NOT
OBLIGATORY.

(B)   PARTY NOT COMPELLED TO APPEAR AT CONFERENCE.

DURING THE INFORMAL ADJUSTMENT PROCESS, A PARTY
MAY NOT BE COMPELLED TO APPEAR AT ANY CONFERENCE,
PRODUCE ANY PAPER, OR VISIT ANY PLACE.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section presently appears as
Art. 26, §70—7. This section has been
reorganized to emphasize diversity of its
provisions. The provision dealing with
inadmissibility of statements into evidence
in subsequent proceedings is moved into
§3-820. The term "propose" is substituted
for "with a view to" for the purpose of