Md. R. Juv. Causes , Form 11-306
An order to show cause shall be substantially in the following form:
[Caption of Case]
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE
(WITH ATTACHED NOTICE OF OBJECTION/REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY)
[Name of person to be served]
[Address of person, including county]
[Relationship of person to child for whom guardianship is sought]
IMPORTANT
This is a court order.
Please read this document carefully.
If you do not understand this order, have someone explain
it to you.
What will happen if you do not follow the instructions in this
order:
The court may TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS (cut off your
rights) to your child, [CHILD'S NAME] ; and
Your child may be ADOPTED by someone else.
If you want to keep your parental rights and remain the parent of your child:
You have to fill out the "Notice of Objection," sign it, and return it to the clerk of the court no later than [DATE] . The Notice of Objection form is included with this order.
You have the right to an attorney. The attorney in your
Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) case is not automatically your attorney in this case.
If you want the court to appoint an attorney for you, you
have to fill out numbers 3 and 4 on the attached Notice of
Objection Form.
You are hereby notified that:1. Petition for Guardianship and to Terminate Parental Rights
A Petition for Guardianship was filed in the Juvenile Court for [county or Baltimore City] on [date] by [name of petitioner] to appoint a guardian for your child [child's name and date of birth]. If the court grants the petition, your parental rights to the child will be terminated permanently, and the child will be eligible for adoption by someone else.
2. Your Right to Object
If you do not want your parental rights to be terminated,
you have to make sure that the court gets the attached Notice of
Objection/Request for Attorney by no later than [DEADLINE].
All that you need to do is fill it out and mail or hand deliver it to the clerk at [address of court].
You may, but do not have to, give reasons for your objection.
If the court does not get your Notice of Objection/Request
for Attorney by [deadline], the court will rule that you have agreed to the guardianship and to the termination of your parental rights. You will not have a court hearing.
3. You Have the Right to an Attorney
You have the right to an attorney in this guardianship case. The attorney in your Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) case is not automatically your attorney in this case.
If you want an attorney but cannot afford one, or if you are under 18 years old or have a disability that makes you unable to participate effectively in your case, you may be entitled to have the court appoint an attorney for you for free.
If you want to hire your own attorney, you may do so. If you do not know an attorney you may call the [county or Baltimore City] bar association at [phone number] to see if they can help you.
Md. R. Juv. Causes , Form 11-306