Title: In re N.C.H., G.D.H., D.G.H.

State: north-carolina

Issuer: North Carolina Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE MATTER OF N.C.H., G.D.H., D.G.H.
No. 463A08    
FILED: 20 MARCH 2009
Appeal pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7A-30(2) from the
decision of a divided panel of the Court of Appeals, 192 N.C.
App. ___, 665 S.E.2d 812 (2008), affirming orders terminating
parental rights entered on 18 January 2008 by Judge Mary F.
Covington in District Court, Davidson County.  The case was
calendared for argument in the Supreme Court on 23 February 2009,
but was determined on the briefs without oral argument pursuant
to N.C. R. App. P. 30(f)(1).
Charles E. Frye, III, Staff Attorney, for petitioner-
appellee Davidson County Department of Social Services,
and Laura B. Beck, Attorney Advocate, for appellee
Guardian ad Litem.
Don Willey for respondent-appellant mother.
Annick Lenoir-Peek, Assistant Appellate Defender, for
Office of the Appellate Defender, amicus curiae. 
 
PER CURIAM.
The result reached by the Court of Appeals is affirmed. 
However, in light of our opinion in In re J.T. (I), 363 N.C. ___,
672 S.E.2d 17 (2009), the following language from the Court of
Appeals’ opinion is specifically disavowed:  “[S]ervice [of the
summons] on the guardian ad litem constitutes service on the
juvenile, which is sufficient to establish subject matter
jurisdiction when combined with naming the juvenile in the
caption of the summons.”  In re N.C.H., 192 N.C. App. ___, ___,
665 S.E.2d 812, 813 (2008) (citing In re J.A.P., I.M.P., 192 N.C.
App. ___, ___, 659 S.E.2d 14, 17 (2008)).  It is true in
termination of parental rights cases that service of the summons
-2-
on the juvenile is accomplished through the juvenile’s guardian
ad litem “if one has been appointed.”  N.C.G.S. § 7B-1106(a)
(2007).  We reject the notion, though, that service of the
summons on any particular party is necessary to invoke the trial
court’s subject matter jurisdiction.  In re J.T. (I), 363 N.C. at
___, 672 S.E.2d at 19 (“[T]he trial court’s subject matter
jurisdiction was properly invoked upon the issuance of a
summons.” (emphasis added)).
AFFIRMED.