HARRY HUGHES, Governor

4659

CHAPTER 843

(House Bill 30)

AN ACT concerning

Domestic Violence - Temporary Ex Parte Orders

FOR the purpose of permitting the District Court or a
circuit court in this State to continue a certain
temporary ex parte order with respect to domestic
violence for a certain period of time under certain
circumstances.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 4-503(a)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1980 Replacement Volume and 1981 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
read(s) as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

4-503.

(a) (1) If a petition is filed under this subtitle and
the court determines that the petitioner has demonstrated an
abuse of a household member, the court may enter a temporary
ex parte order to protect the petitioner or another
household member from abuse. The order shall be served
immediately by a law enforcement officer on the household
member named in the petition, and that household member
shall have an opportunity to be heard on the question of
continuing the temporary order. Notice of the date of the
hearing shall be contained in the order, and this hearing
shall be held not later than 5 days after service of the
order on the household member.

(2) IF THE HOUSEHOLD MEMBER NAMED IN THE
PETITION IS SERVED A TEMPORARY EX PARTE ORDER UNDER
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION AND FAILS TO APPEAR FOR A
HEARING ON THE QUESTION OF CONTINUING THE TEMPORARY ORDER,
THE TEMPORARY ORDER MAY BE CONTINUED FOR UP TO 15 DAYS.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1982.