REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION OF A FOREIGN CHILD CUSTODY DETERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING DOM REL 79 If a court outside Maryland has issued an order governing the custody and/or visitation of a minor child, and if you would like the Maryland court’s assistance in enforcing that order you may use this form to register your foreign (non-Maryland) court order with a Maryland court. You may want to register your order if the child or one or more of the parties now resides in Maryland. Enforcing an out-of-state custody or visitation order in Maryland is a two-step process: a. You must first register your order by completing DR 79 and submitting it with two copies of the foreign order, one of which must be certified. You do not need to send a copy of DR79 to the other parent or party in the case. The court will do that for you, by sending a required notice. You may register a foreign order at any time, with or without a simultaneous petition to enforce. b. You must then file a petition to enforce the order. Use DR 78. This document must be filed with the court and then properly served on the opposing party. See the General Instructions, DR0-1 for information on filing a petition and service of process. When filing a petition to enforce you must have already registered your order. You may file a request to register the order and the petition to enforce at the same time. DOM REL forms were developed to assist persons deciding to proceed alone, but you are urged to consider carefully the importance of getting an attorney to help you. The following instructions refer only to REGISTRATION of the foreign order. See DRIN 78 for instructions on filing a petition to enforce a foreign order. > STEP 1 — Completion of Form DOM REL 79. Court: Fill in the name of the County (or Baltimore City) where you want to register your order. See General Instructions. Case No.: DO NOT write anything where it says “Case No.” The Clerk of Court will fill in this blank and, at that time, you should make note of the number for future reference. Petitioner: Fill in your name, as “Petitioner”, and your current address and telephone number. You do not need to disclose your address or the address of children who are the subject of the case if to do so would place them at risk. If this is the case, please contact the Office of the Clerk before filing the request. Respondent: Fill in the name of the other parent or party. Page 1 of 2 DRIN 79 (3/2006) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkflow.com List the current address and telephone number for the respondent. Print your name in the space provided and state your relationship to the child(ren) by circling “mother” or “father” or naming your relationship in the blank. List the child(ren)’s full name(s) and date(s) of birth. Item 1. List the date of the order you are seeking to register, and the name of the court that issued it. Include the name of the state or foreign jurisdiction of that court. Item 2. List the names and current addresses of the other parent or any other person who has been awarded custody and/or visitation rights in the case. Note that you do not need to disclose the address of a custodian of the child(ren) if to do so would place the child(ren) at risk. If this is the case, please contact the Office of the Clerk before filing the request. Date and sign form DOM REL 79. > STEP 2 — Attach copies of the foreign order. Attach two copies of the foreign order. One copy must be a certified copy of the foreign order. >STEP 3 – File the form and copies with the court. File the document and proper copies in person, or mail them to the Office of the Clerk in the Circuit Court where you want the foreign order to be registered. Page 2 of 2 DRIN 79 (3/2006) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkflow.com Circuit Court for Case No. City or County Name Name VS. Street Address City Apt. # State ( Zip Code ) Area Code Petitioner PO Box Street Address Telephone City Apt. # PO Box State Zip Code Respondent ( ) Area Code Telephone REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION OF A FOREIGN CHILD CUSTODY DETERMINATION (DOM REL 79) I, , representing myself, state that: My name I am the mother/father or Circle One Relationship (for example, aunt, grandfather, guardian, etc.) of the following minor child(ren) or adult disabled child(ren): Name Name Date of Birth Name 1. Date of Birth Date of Birth Name Date of Birth On the Date order in case number issued an Name Of Court and State/Country , governing the legal custody, physical custody or Case No. of Original Case visitation of the child(ren) listed above. 2. The following persons, in addition to myself, have been awarded custody and/or visitation of the minor child(ren) in this case: Name Name Address Address City State Zip Code City State Zip Code FOR THESE REASONS, I request the Court register the child custody determination in accordance with Section 9.5-305 of the Family Law Article of the Maryland Code. I affirm, under penalty of perjury, that the order which I am requesting be registered in Maryland has not been modified, to the best of my information, knowledge and belief. Date Signature [YOU MUST ATTACH TWO COPIES OF THE FOREIGN ORDER, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE CERTIFIED.] Page 1 of 1 DR 79 (3/2006) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkflow.com