Opinion ID: 2057155
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Attempts to Serve Appellant

Text: After N.N.N. filed her adoption petition in August 2004, the court issued a Notice to Mother of Pending Adoption Proceeding and Order to Show Cause, which directed that a CFSA Diligent Search Unit investigator personally serve appellant with notice of the adoption proceedings. On August 27, 2004, Mr. Heslep checked the District of Columbia Automated Client Eligibility Determination System (ACEDS) and confirmed that appellant was receiving public assistance payments at a certain address on Langston Place, S.E. The same day, Mr. Heslep called the Langston Place residence. A woman answered the telephone but he was unable to ascertain her identity before she hung up. On August 31, 2004, Mr. Heslep visited the Langston Place residence, but nobody answered the door, so he left a note asking that appellant call him. He also left a similar note at P.H.'s residence that day, but he did not receive a return call from appellant. On September 3, 2004, after learning from De.H.'s father that appellant sometimes stayed at P.H.'s residence, Mr. Heslep returned there but nobody answered the door, so Mr. Heslep left another note asking appellant to contact him. Mr. Heslep attempted to contact appellant at P.H.'s home again, unsuccessfully, on September 8, 2004, and again he left a note requesting that appellant contact him. Two days later, Mr. Heslep returned to the Langston Place residence. A woman who identified herself as appellant's sister A.J. answered the door but claimed that she did not know where appellant was or when she would return. Mr. Heslep explained the reason for his visit and left a message for appellant along with a copy of the Notice and Show Cause Order. He then asked A.J. for her Social Security number and date of birth, but she refused to give out her Social Security number, saying only that she was born on December 15, 1965. He observed in his affidavit that A.J. did not look like she was 38 years old, but more like 25, which was around appellant's age. Later, Mr. Heslep attempted to confirm A.J.'s identity but found no evidence of anyone with that name living in the D.C. area. Soon thereafter, Mr. Heslep learned from De.H.'s father that appellant did not have a sister named A.J. On September 14, 2004, Mr. Heslep attempted again to reach appellant at the Langston Place residence, and left another note requesting that anyone in the household contact him. On September 21, 2004, Mr. Heslep filed an affidavit detailing his personal efforts to serve appellant with notice of the proceedings, which Magistrate Judge Johnson described as unusually substantial. The court entered the final adoption decree on April 27, 2005, finding that CFSA investigator Thomas Heslep's efforts to personally serve appellant with notice of the hearing were sufficient. Appellant filed a timely petition for review on May 6, 2005.