Maryland Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Maryland that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Maryland court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Maryland court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Maryland court ordered it?
Maryland's sentencing statutes do not set a statewide requirement of a certified anger-management class after an assault or domestic-violence conviction. The probation statute, Criminal Procedure § 6-225, leaves conditions to the court and specifically requires treatment only for controlled-substance convictions. Separately, § 6-233 lets a court make a finding that a crime was domestically related, which is then reported to the state's criminal records repository.
On the civil side, a final protective order under Family Law § 4-506 can direct the respondent to take part in professionally supervised counseling or a domestic violence program, and can address temporary custody and visitation. Relief generally lasts up to one year, with longer terms in limited cases. Requirements differ from order to order, so confirm exactly what any court order requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Maryland included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Maryland court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Maryland-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Maryland civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Custody and visitation: abuse against a parent or household childMd. Code, Family Law § 9-101.1
In a custody or visitation case, the court must consider evidence that a party abused the other parent, the party's spouse, or any child living in the party's household. If abuse is found, the court must arrange custody or visitation that best protects the child and the abuse victim.
Denial of custody or visitation for likely abuse or neglectMd. Code, Family Law § 9-101
If a court has reasonable grounds to believe a party abused or neglected a child, it must decide whether further abuse or neglect is likely. Unless it specifically finds no likelihood, it must deny custody or visitation, though it may approve supervised visitation.
Protective orders (relief from abuse)Md. Code, Family Law §§ 4-504, 4-506
A petition can be filed with a court, or with a commissioner in some situations, if the abuse happened in Maryland or the person seeking relief lives there. A final order can include no-abuse and no-contact terms, vacating a shared home, temporary custody, and counseling or a domestic violence program.
Criminal law
Second-degree assaultMd. Code, Criminal Law § 3-203
The general assault offense, a misdemeanor carrying up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,500, or both.
First-degree assault, including strangulationMd. Code, Criminal Law § 3-202
A felony carrying up to 25 years in prison. It covers intentionally causing or attempting serious physical injury, assault with a firearm, and assault by intentionally strangling another person.
StalkingMd. Code, Criminal Law § 3-802
A malicious course of conduct that approaches or pursues another person and is meant to, or should be known to, cause fear of serious harm or serious emotional distress. A misdemeanor carrying up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
Violating a protective orderMd. Code, Family Law § 4-509
A misdemeanor. A first offense carries up to 90 days and/or a $1,000 fine; a later offense carries up to 1 year and/or a $2,500 fine. Officers must arrest on probable cause of a violation.