(a) A practitioner and an operator of a crematory may rely on the representations made by an authorizing agent and are not guarantors of the reliability of those representations.
(b) A practitioner and an operator of a crematory have no responsibility to contact or to independently investigate the existence of any next of kin of the decedent.
(c) An individual may file a petition with the appropriate court to obtain the authority to be authorizing agent:
(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
(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.
(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.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Subtitle 5 - Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 5-501 - Consent for Postmortem Examination
Section 5-502 - Cremation -- Required Identification and Authorization
Section 5-503 - Cremation -- Time Interval
Section 5-504 - Transporting to Crematory
Section 5-506 - Control of Body by Health Officer
Section 5-509 - Disposition of Body Other Than by Will
Section 5-510 - Disposition of Body Other Than by Will -- Failure to Agree on Disposition