Opinion ID: 2045497
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Propriety of Intervention by Grandmother.

Text: Although intervention in a CINA case has not previously been before us, we have evaluated a grandparent's right to intervene in the dispositional phase of an involuntary termination-of-parental-rights proceeding under Iowa Code section 232.117. See In re J.R., 315 N.W.2d at 752. The grandparents in In re J.R. sought to intervene so they could be heard on the transfer of guardianship and custody of their grandchildren following termination of parental rights. Id. at 751. Section 232.117(3) specifies those eligible to serve as guardian or custodian of a child whose parents' rights have been terminated: If the court terminates the parental rights of the child's parents, the court shall transfer the guardianship and custody of the child to one of the following: .... c. A relative or other suitable person. We held that because section 232.117(3)(c) gave grandparents, as relatives, a legal right to be considered for guardianship and custody, they possessed a sufficient legal interest in the outcome of an involuntary termination-of-parental-rights proceeding to allow intervention. Id. at 752; accord In re Chad, 318 N.W.2d 213, 216 (Iowa 1982) (statute allowing relative or other suitable person to be considered for a custodian in termination-of-parental-rights case confers a legal interest sufficient to satisfy test for intervention). We see no basis to distinguish this termination case from the CINA case before us. A statutory right to be considered for custody also exists in the dispositional phase of a CINA proceeding. Under section 232.102(1)(a), a grandparent may be considered for custody of the child in need of assistance: 1. After a dispositional hearing the court may enter an order transferring the legal custody of the child to one of the following for purposes of placement: a. A relative or other suitable person. As a relative, a grandparent enjoys a statutory legal right to be considered for custody in the dispositional phase of a CINA proceeding. Therefore, the grandmother here has a clear, statutorily-created interest in the outcome of the CINA dispositional hearing. Consequently, she has a right to intervene under rule 75. To the extent the juvenile court held that intervention was inappropriate as a matter of law, the court erred.