{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-5-511","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Health - General § 5–511","heading":"","body":"(a) A practitioner and an operator of a crematory or reduction facility may rely on the representations made by an authorizing agent and are not guarantors of the reliability of those representations.\n(b) A practitioner and an operator of a crematory or reduction facility have no responsibility to contact or to independently investigate the existence of any next of kin of the decedent.\n(c) An individual may file a petition with the appropriate court to obtain the authority to be authorizing agent:\n(1) If the individual alleges that permitting one or more of the individuals with priority under § 5-509(c) of this subtitle to authorize arrangements for the final disposition of the body of a decedent may cause substantial injustice; or\n(2) If, considering all the circumstances, an individual other than an individual with priority under § 5-509(c) of this subtitle had a closer personal affinity to the decedent and should be allowed to make the arrangements.\n(d) Pending the outcome of a petition filed under this section, a practitioner shall suspend any arrangements with the individuals under § 5-509(c) of this subtitle.","path":["Article - Health - General"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg\u0026section=5-511","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:58:48Z","sha256":"1a2249dcb6c28640e022798c053cd6f4df789d57e7af07a9da75a98d520c06ad","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-5-510","next":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-5-512"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}