MD HB687

Creative expression (music, dance, visual art, poetry, literature, film, and performance art eligible for federal copyright protection) of a criminal defendant or juvenile respondent is presumptively inadmissible as evidence against them

Courts may only admit creative expression if they find by a preponderance of evidence that: the defendant intended the expression to be literal rather than figurative/fictional, the expression refers to specific facts of the alleged offense, and the expression is relevant to a disputed issue of fact

Exception allows creative expression to be used in juvenile cases for evaluating or ordering referrals to mental health services or diversion programs

Adds new Section 10-926 to the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: October 1, 2026