Custodial Interrogation of Minors - Admissibility of Statements

HB 165 establishes a rebuttable presumption that a minor’s statement during a custodial police interrogation is involuntary and inadmissible in juvenile or criminal court if law enforcement intentionally used false information to obtain it. This directly affects minors facing criminal or juvenile charges where police interrogated them while in custody. The bill requires prosecutors to overcome this presumption with clear, convincing evidence showing the statement was voluntary despite the false information used. It amends Maryland’s judicial code to clarify admissibility standards for minors’ statements during police questioning. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.