Opinion ID: 2518108
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the district court properly reached the merits of the putative father's motion because the motion qualified as a collateral attack on the adoption decree permitted under utah code section 78b-6-133(7)

Text: ¶ 18 On appeal, the natural mother argues that the district court lacked jurisdiction to address the merits of the putative father's motion because he failed to intervene in the adoption proceeding. Although she acknowledges that the district court consolidated the putative father's paternity action with the adoption proceeding, the natural mother asserts that while consolidation is permitted as a matter of convenience and economy in administration, [it] does not merge the suits into a single case ... or make those who are parties in one suit parties in another. Because the putative father never sought to intervene in the adoption proceeding, the natural mother contends that he is not a party to the adoption and that both this court and the district court are jurisdictionally barred from reaching the merits of his motion. [3] We need not address the natural mother's arguments regarding intervention, however, because we conclude that, even if the putative father did not intervene, his motion qualified as a collateral challenge to the adoption decree as permitted by Utah Code section 78B-6-133. ¶ 19 Although section 78B-6-133 does not set forth a particular vehicle for mounting a collateral attack to an adoption decree, it clearly contemplates that such an attack may be made. Section 78B-6-133(7) imposes limitations on the right to contest adoptions, regardless of whether the adoption is contested directly or collaterally. [4] Specifically, the statute prohibits three groups of personsparties to the adoption proceeding, persons served with notice of the adoption proceeding, and persons who have executed a consent to the adoption or a relinquishment of parental rightsfrom contesting adoptions at all (other than by appeal in the adoption proceeding itself) [5] and imposes a one-year limit on the time during which any challenge to a decree of adoption may be made. [6] ¶ 20 By expressly negating the right of these three specific categories of persons to challenge an adoption by a means other than direct appeal, it is clear that the statute contemplates that a person not within these categories may bring a challenge to an adoption decreeso long as the challenge is brought within one year of the entry of the decree of adoption. This conclusion is further supported by subsection 78B-6-133(7)(d), which makes clear that an appeal may be taken from both a district court's entry of a final decree of adoption and a court's decision in an action challenging an adoption.  [7] ¶ 21 And although the statute does not name the specific procedural vehicle for mounting a collateral challenge, subsection 78B-6-133(7)(d) suggests that a separate action challenging the adoption, on whatever ground, is a proper means of challenging an adoption decree. Therefore, so long as the putative father (1) does not fall within the categories expressly excluded from challenging an adoption decree and (2) mounted a collateral challenge to T.B.'s adoption within a year of the entry of the decree, the district court had jurisdiction under section 78B-6-133(7) to entertain the merits of the putative father's challenge. ¶ 22 Here, the natural mother does not dispute that the putative father is not a party to the adoption proceeding. Indeed, she strenuously argues that he is not. Although his case was consolidated with the adoption, the natural mother correctly notes that the consolidation did not merge the two actions or make him a party to the adoption proceeding. [8] The record also does not indicate that the putative father was served with notice of the adoption proceeding or that he had either consented to T.B.'s adoption or executed a relinquishment of his parental rights. Therefore, we conclude that the putative father falls within the class of individuals who the statute contemplates may mount a collateral attack on an adoption decree. ¶ 23 We further determine that the putative father's paternity action, as well as his motion to set aside, qualify as timely collateral challenges to the adoption. Both the paternity action and the motion to set aside were filed within one year of the entry of T.B.'s adoption decree. Additionally, the substance of both make clear that they are direct challenges to T.B.'s adoption. The challenge is made explicit in the putative father's motion to set aside the adoption, where he seeks to have the adoption decree rendered void and his parental rights reinstated. And in his paternity action, the putative father, while not expressly calling for the adoption to be set aside, [9] sought relief from the district courtincluding an order changing T.B.'s last name and an order of custody and parent-timethat was clearly incompatible with the termination of his parental rights. Because the putative father brought these collateral challenges to the adoption within the allowed one-year time period, we hold that the putative father's challenge was properly before the district court. We must now resolve the questions certified to us by the court of appeals.