Opinion ID: 2844043
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Father’s Request for Kinship Placement

Text: [¶16] The father argues that (1) the court erred in determining that it is in L.D.’s best interest to remain in her current nonrelative placement, and (2) DHHS has a statutory duty to investigate known kinship placements and it failed to satisfactorily undertake that duty. DHHS argues that the denial of the father’s placement request is not subject to appellate review pursuant to 22 M.R.S. § 4006. [¶17] Title 22 M.R.S. § 4006 provides: “Orders entered under this chapter under sections other than section 4035, 4054 or 4071 are interlocutory and are not appealable.” We have said that “[s]ection 4006 unequivocally provides that in child-protective cases orders other than termination orders, jeopardy orders, or orders authorizing medical treatment are not appealable.” In re L.R., 2014 ME 95, ¶ 9, 97 A.3d 602 (quotation marks omitted); see 22 M.R.S. §§ 4006, 4035, 4054, 4071 (2014). Accordingly, because the father’s interlocutory appeal is barred by section 4006, it must be dismissed.5 The entry is: Judgment affirmed as to termination of parental rights. Appeal dismissed in all other respects. 5 Because placement orders are not appealable, we do not reach the father’s arguments that DHHS failed to exercise due diligence to identify and provide notice to all known grandparents and other adult relatives within thirty days after the removal of a child from the custody of a parent or guardian as provided in 22 M.R.S. § 4036-B(3-A) (2014), or that DHHS, having gained custody of L.D., failed to appropriately consider giving preference to an adult relative over a nonrelated caregiver when determining placement for the child as required by 22 M.R.S. § 4062 (2014). 9 On the briefs: Andrew T. Dawson, Esq., Goodspeed & O’Donnell, Augusta, for appellant Father Janet T. Mills, Attorney General, and Meghan Szylvian, Asst. Atty. Gen., Office of the Attorney General, Augusta, for appellee Department of Health and Human Services Augusta District Court docket number PC-2013-31 FOR CLERK REFERENCE ONLY