Opinion ID: 2520536
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statutory Scheme, Claims of Error, Standard of Review

Text: To terminate parental rights, the department must establish by clear and convincing evidence that the child has been subjected to one of the eleven conditions enumerated in AS 47.10.011 that establish that a child is a child in need of aid. [3] As described more below, one of these conditions is where the parent is responsible for a mental injury to the child. [4] Another condition occurs where a parent or guardian has abandoned the child. [5] A second relevant prerequisite to termination is a finding (also by clear and convincing evidence) that the parent has either (i) not remedied the conduct or conditions in the home that place the child at substantial risk of harm, or (ii) failed, within a reasonable time, to remedy the conduct or conditions in the home that place the child in substantial risk so that returning the child to the parent would place the child at substantial risk of physical or mental injury. [6] Rick challenges the superior court's order on the ground that both these prerequisites were not properly established with respect to either child  i.e., that there was not clear and convincing evidence that the children were in need of aid, and that he failed to remedy these harmful conduct or conditions. To the extent Rick's challenges are to the superior court's factual findings, our review is for clear error. [7] Whether particular facts are sufficient to support termination is a question of law that we review de novo. [8]