Maryland Emergency Petition: 6-Hour Exam and 30-Hour Limit

In Maryland, an emergency petition is a signed, sworn request that a person be evaluated at an emergency facility for a mental disorder. Once the person arrives, a physician must examine them within 6 hours, and the facility may not keep them more than 30 hours. After the exam, the person must be released unless they ask for voluntary admission or meet the legal criteria for involuntary admission. If the hospital keeps someone involuntarily, a hearing must be held within 10 days of the initial confinement.

This guide walks through who can file, what the petition has to say, what the clocks measure, and what you can do today, whether you are the person named in the petition or the person worried about them. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or call or text 988 now. This page is educational and is not an emergency service.

What a Maryland Emergency Petition Is

A Maryland emergency petition is a verified written request, made under Health-General Article section 10-622, asking that a person be taken to an emergency facility for evaluation because of a mental disorder and a danger to life or safety. The petitioner signs it under penalties of perjury, and the evaluation it starts is limited to 6 hours before a physician exam and 30 hours total at the emergency facility.

Two details matter right away. First, the petition is a request for an evaluation, not a finding that the person needs hospital care. Second, the clock that protects the person starts when they are brought to the emergency facility, not when the petition was written. The statute says the physician exam must happen “within 6 hours after” the person arrives, so the arrival time is the number to write down.

We checked the statute text on the Maryland General Assembly’s website on October 13, 2026. Laws change, so confirm the current wording with the Maryland General Assembly’s statute text for section 10-622 or with a Maryland attorney before relying on it.

Who Can File the Petition

Section 10-622 allows three groups to petition. The labels below follow the statute’s structure:

Examining professional: A physician, psychologist, clinical social worker, or health officer (or designee) can petition, but only after examining the person.

Peace officer: A peace officer can petition if they personally observed the person or the person’s behavior.

Any other interested person: A family member, friend, or other interested person can petition. This is the route most families use.

Every petition must be signed and verified by the petitioner, and the form warns that the petitioner may be required to appear before a court. When a professional or health officer files, the statute directs them to give the petition to a peace officer, who must explain the serious nature of the petition and its meaning and content to the petitioner.

The Standard: Mental Disorder Plus Danger

The petitioner must have reason to believe the person has a mental disorder and presents a danger to the life or safety of the person or of others. Both parts are required. A person who is upset, refusing medication, or making choices a relative disagrees with does not meet the standard on those facts alone.

This is why specifics matter. A petition that says “she is not acting right” gives a court or physician little to evaluate. A petition that describes what the petitioner saw, when it happened, and what made it dangerous is far easier to assess, and it is signed under penalty of perjury, so it should contain only what the petitioner actually knows.

How a Court Endorsement Fits In

Under section 10-623, a court reviews a petition and “shall endorse” it if it finds probable cause that the person showed symptoms of a mental disorder and presents a danger to life or safety. If the court finds no probable cause, it marks that on the petition, and no further action may be taken under it. The statute exempts the listed professionals and peace officers from the requirement to present the petition to the court for immediate review, which is why an interested person’s petition and a professional’s petition can move through different steps.

The practical point for families: a petition you file as an interested person may be reviewed by a judge before anyone is transported, and a denial ends that petition. A denial does not prevent you from seeking help another way, such as calling 988.

What Happens at the Emergency Facility

If the petition is properly executed, the emergency facility must accept the person. Section 10-624 then sets the clock:

Physician exam deadline: A physician must examine the person within 6 hours after they are brought to the emergency facility.

Maximum stay: The person may not be kept at the emergency facility more than 30 hours.

Release rule: After the exam, the person must be released unless they ask for voluntary admission or they meet the requirements for involuntary admission.

The inconvenient truth in practice is that the 6-hour and 30-hour numbers are easy to lose track of in a busy emergency department. Nobody is likely to announce them to you. If you are the person being evaluated, or you are with them, ask a staff member to write down the arrival time, and keep your own note of when each exam or conversation with a clinician happens. That written time is what lets you ask a precise question later.

If the Hospital Wants to Keep the Person

Involuntary admission is a separate decision with a higher bar. Under section 10-617, a facility may not admit someone involuntarily unless the person has a mental disorder, presents a danger to their own or others’ life or safety, is unable or unwilling to be admitted voluntarily, and there is no available, less restrictive form of intervention.

If a person is confined, section 10-632 requires a hearing within 10 days of the initial confinement. It can be postponed for good cause by no more than 7 days, and the reasons must be on the record. An impartial hearing officer conducts it. The officer must order release unless the record shows by clear and convincing evidence that the person has a mental disorder, needs inpatient care or treatment, is a danger to self or others, is unable or unwilling to be admitted voluntarily, and that no less restrictive intervention is available (with an added geriatric evaluation step for people 65 or older entering a State facility).

Before agreeing to voluntary admission, ask a clinician or an attorney what it would mean for when you can leave.

What to Do Today

The steps differ depending on where you are standing.

If you are the person named in a petition: Write down your arrival time at the facility. Ask who signed the petition and whether a court endorsed it. Ask what time the physician exam is due, using the 6-hour rule. Ask whether you can contact a family member or a lawyer. If you take medications, tell staff what you take and when your last dose was.

If you are considering a petition for someone else: Before filing, write a dated list of what you personally saw and heard, in plain words, not labels. Include the date, what the person said or did, and why it put someone’s life or safety at risk. Keep it factual, because you will sign it under penalties of perjury. Put the person’s address and the name and address of a relative or other interested person on the form if you have them.

If the situation is not an immediate emergency: You may not need a petition at all. The National Institute of Mental Health’s help page explains how to find a provider and what to do in a crisis, and the 988 Lifeline can talk through options with you by call or text.

When to Call 911 or 988 Instead

A petition takes time to write, sign, and carry out. If someone is in immediate danger, or is talking about ending their life, do not wait for paperwork. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any hour, as described in SAMHSA’s overview of the 988 Lifeline. Stay with the person if it is safe to do so, and do not leave means of harm within reach.

After the Evaluation: Finding Ongoing Care

An emergency evaluation is a starting point. Whether a person is released after the exam or admitted, the next question is usually what ongoing treatment looks like. Treatment can include therapy, medication management, and sometimes a higher level of care. The NIMH overview of mental health medications explains the general classes of medication and why decisions belong with a prescriber. Ask the discharge team for a written follow-up plan and a first appointment date before leaving.

If you want help understanding treatment options, call 866-644-7911 to talk with someone about next steps. The Treatment Specialist is an educational resource and not an emergency or crisis service.

Related Guides in This Series

Rules differ by state, and the details below are Maryland’s. For a side-by-side view, start with our state-by-state guide to involuntary psychiatric holds. For other states’ timelines and rights, see Pennsylvania’s 302 commitment process, Virginia’s ECO and TDO clocks, and Massachusetts Section 12. If you are wondering about firearms after a hold, read what federal law counts. If you are unsure whether to head to an emergency room, see when to go and what to do. For questions about treatment, you can also call 866-644-7911.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Laws and procedures change and vary by situation. For legal questions, consult a Maryland attorney; for medical concerns, consult a licensed clinician. In an emergency, call 911 or call or text 988.