Opinion ID: 2498669
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The September 2010 Placement Hearing

Text: The placement hearing of September 2010 was held to review OCS's decision to deny placement of the children with a maternal aunt under AS 47.14.100(m). Although the focus of the hearing was on that decision, substantial evidence that Paula was an unsuitable placement was also developed at this hearing. Today's opinion concludes that Paula did not suffer any prejudice from her absence at this hearing because she was able to present evidence at her own placement hearing later. Although Paula was given the opportunity to try to meet the evidence presented at the September 2010 hearing months later in her own placement hearing, it does not follow that Paula suffered no prejudice from her earlier absence. First, it is questionable whether any of the evidence against Paula would have even surfaced at the September 2010 hearing had Paula been present. It was irrelevant to the nominal purpose of the hearing: consideration of the maternal aunt's placement request. (Indeed, that request had been withdrawn before the hearing even commenced.) Second, Paula was unable immediately to rebut the significant amount of testimony regarding her failure to properly care for the children. Accordingly, the case against Paula that had been building for over a year without her knowledge was locked in for another two months before she had the opportunity to respond. Third, the chance to present contrary testimony months later is a poor substitute for notice and the right to be heard at the principal hearing. The burdens of locating the testimony in the record, listening to it, understanding it in the context in which it was presented live, and responding to it would pose substantial logistical problems for any litigant. These problems are magnified by the reality in rural Alaska that hearings are often held with witnesses, attorneys, parties, and judges in different locations. [5] In sum, Paula's presence would have markedly altered her ability to present her case.