Maryland Request to Shield Consent to Protective Order Records is a filing made by a petitioner for a protective order to keep their identifying information from being made public in the court record. This type of request is available to victims of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, sexual assault, and other crimes in Maryland. The request is made to the court to keep the petitioner’s name and address, as well as any information that could identify them, from being revealed in the court record. If the request is granted, the court will issue a shield consent order that indicates that the petitioner’s identifying information has been shielded from the public record. There are two types of Maryland Request to Shield Consent to Protective Order Records: an ex parte shield consent order and a full shield consent order. An ex parte shield consent order is made without a hearing and is typically only granted if the court finds that the petitioner’s safety is in imminent danger. A full shield consent order is made after a hearing and usually requires the court to find that the petitioner has a reasonable fear of future harm.