Bill > SB512

This bill establishes a legal protection for minors during custodial interrogations by creating a rebuttable presumption that statements made by a minor are involuntary and inadmissible in court if a law enforcement officer intentionally uses false information to obtain the statement. Specifically, if a police officer knowingly uses untrue information to elicit a statement from a minor during a custodial interrogation (which retains its existing judicial definition), that statement will be presumed involuntary and cannot be used against the minor in juvenile or criminal proceedings. However, this presumption can be overcome if the prosecution can provide clear and convincing evidence that the statement was voluntarily made and not a direct result of the false information. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and is designed to protect minors from potentially coercive interrogation tactics by creating a higher standard for the admissibility of statements made during custodial questioning.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0512?ys=2025RS