{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-409","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3–409","heading":"","body":"(a) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a court may grant a declaratory judgment or decree in a civil case, if it will serve to terminate the uncertainty or controversy giving rise to the proceeding, and if:\n(1) An actual controversy exists between contending parties;\n(2) Antagonistic claims are present between the parties involved which indicate imminent and inevitable litigation; or\n(3) A party asserts a legal relation, status, right, or privilege and this is challenged or denied by an adversary party, who also has or asserts a concrete interest in it.\n(b) If a statute provides a special form of remedy for a specific type of case, that statutory remedy shall be followed in lieu of a proceeding under this subtitle.\n(c) A party may obtain a declaratory judgment or decree notwithstanding a concurrent common-law, equitable, or extraordinary legal remedy, whether or not recognized or regulated by statute.\n(d) Proceeding by declaratory judgment is not permitted in any case in which divorce or annulment of marriage is sought.\n(e) A court may order a speedy hearing of an action of a declaratory judgment and may advance it on the calendar.","path":["Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj\u0026section=3-409","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:03Z","sha256":"13af8d11cf469dec8a326488940c1ed5f7b66ca5352187e6ce97864911339669","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-408.1","next":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-410"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}