Opinion ID: 1184832
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Advisement of Rights

Text: D. D. contends that the decree of dependency or neglect and the subsequent order terminating parental rights are fatally flawed because the trial court did not advise her of her constitutional and legal rights on her first appearance before the court as required by statute. We disagree. Section 19-1-106(1)(a), C.R.S.1973 (1978 Repl. Vol. 8) provides: At his first appearance before the court, the child and his parents, guardian, or other legal custodian shall be fully advised by the court of their constitutional and legal rights, including the right to a jury trial as provided in subsection (4) of this section and the right to be represented by counsel at every stage of the proceedings. D. D. first appeared before the court on December 20, 1977, at a hearing to determine whether the court should authorize the filing of a petition in dependency or neglect with respect to D. D.'s son, M. D. See section 19-3-101(2), C.R.S.1973 (1978 Repl.Vol. 8). The court explained the proceeding in general to D. D.; informed her that the department was requesting temporary custody of M. D.; advised D. D. that she was entitled to be represented by a lawyer, that if she could not hire a lawyer frequently Colorado Rural Legal Services... handles these cases, and that if necessary the court would give consideration to appointing a lawyer. D. D. said she would go to see Colorado Rural Legal Services. [4] M. D. had come to the court's attention after being admitted to Weld County General Hospital for failure to thrive. D. D. agreed that the department should be granted temporary custody of M. D. to permit the child's lack of normal weight gain to be addressed. After hearing testimony, the court authorized the filing of the petition, and D. D. agreed to waive service of the summons. Above her signed waiver is a recital of various constitutional and legal rights, including the right to a jury trial and the right to be represented by counsel, but the record does not establish whether she read the recital. The petition was not brought forward to hearing until M. D. had been returned to D. D.'s care and new problems had developed, resulting in removal of A. M. D. and M. D. from the parental home and the filing of an amended petition in dependency or neglect. On June 12, 1978, when the court authorized the amended petition to be filed, it appointed counsel for D. D. At all times thereafter, D. D. was represented by counsel. Proceedings in dependency or neglect affect important rights, so there must be substantial compliance with statutory requirements for conduct of those proceedings. Storey v. Shumaker, 131 Colo. 131, 279 P.2d 1057 (1955). In order to assure the effectiveness of the statutorily mandated advisement and to provide a basis for informed appellate review, the trial court should explain the constitutional and legal rights of the parties to them orally on the record. In this case that was not done. However, counsel was appointed for D. D. before the amended petition was filed, and he represented her throughout the proceedings. A guardian ad litem was appointed for both children. We perceive no prejudice to D. D. resulting from any imperfections in her advisement. D. D. did not assert error in the initial advisement in her motion for a new trial. Under these circumstances, we reject her contention that the challenged advisement fatally infects the adjudication of dependency or neglect and the subsequent order terminating parental rights.