Opinion ID: 148956
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ms. Melvin, Next Friend to David

Text: Ms. Melvin served as a foster parent in the Rhode Island foster care system for twenty years. She took David as her foster child in 1996 and had David under her care and custody for two years. During David's stay with Ms. Melvin, Ms. Melvin had some contact with DCYF social workers and attended various Family Court proceedings. After David was removed from her home to be placed for adoption, Ms. Melvin was allowed to visit him at the shelter in which he was placed and was even able spend some days with him. She lost contact with David and has not seen him since approximately 1998. Ms. Melvin testified that she agreed to be David's Next Friend because she considers David part of her family and is willing to help him. She explained that as a Next Friend to David she is trying to help make things better for him. She understood that as David's Next Friend she could be called to participate in settlement discussions and she would have to make decisions on David's behalf. On the basis of this evidence, Ms. Melvin has demonstrated she is acting in good faith and is genuinely motivated to help David seek relief in federal court. Although Ms. Melvin need not necessarily show she had a significant relationship with David, it is undeniable that she is familiar with David's situation as she cared for him for two years, and is aware of the inner workings of the foster care system having served as a foster mother for twenty years. Ms. Melvin's suitability is not undermined by the fact that she has not seen David for several years given that there is no indication that she is pursing this litigation for reasons other than protecting David's interests. We thus find that Ms. Melvin may proceed as David's Next Friend.