Opinion ID: 2075762
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Summary of Violations of H.R.'s Rights

Text: In sum, the Barker Foundation and the court denied H.R. the following procedural rights, guaranteed by the due process clause: (1) notice of the legal procedures involved in the adoption process, and the agency's role in those procedures; (2) immediate notice of the adoption petition, filed by the O. family, which initiated the official judicial proceeding to terminate H.R.'s parental rights (a statutory violation as well); and (3) diligent efforts by the Barker Foundation to ascertain H.R.'s whereabouts, in order to assure the required immediate notice of the judicial proceeding so that H.R. could exercise his rights to seek custody of his child at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. Given the communications he did receive, H.R. did all he could reasonably have been expected to do to claim custody of his child. [33] For these reasons, H.R.'s opportunity interest remained intact.