Opinion ID: 2056781
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Termination Proceeding

Text: [¶ 14] The Department filed a petition to terminate the mother's and father's parental rights in February 2007. Continuing the pattern of affording the parents a full and fair hearing on all issues, the court ( Nivison, C.J. ) held a five-day hearing on the termination of parental rights petition on August 22, 23, 27, and 30, and September 5, 2007. At the hearing, the mother and father were represented by separate counsel. [¶ 15] During the hearing, held almost two years after the court's first involvement in the family, the record indicates that neither the mother nor the father made any suggestion that any relative might provide a kinship placement for the child, nor did they suggest that the child might have any inheritance rights that could be compromised by termination of parental rights. The record also indicates that, at the hearing, the mother principally urged that she was competent to care for the child; that she was able to provide parenting, care, and protection for the child within a time reasonably calculated to meet the child's needs for permanency; and that, because she was available to provide competent care, termination of parental rights would not be in the child's best interests. [¶ 16] Review of the termination hearing record, including the mother's testimony, discloses no event or statement that might have suggested to the court that the mother could not answer questions appropriately, did not understand the nature and consequences of the proceeding, or was otherwise incompetent to assist counsel and participate in the proceedings. At the hearing, the mother, assisted by counsel, emphasized her competence, not her incompetence. [¶ 17] On October 15, 2007, the court entered an eleven-page judgment terminating the mother's and father's parental rights. The mother filed a motion for further and amended findings of fact and conclusions of law, which the court granted in part and denied in part. [¶ 18] The father and mother filed separate notices of appeal, but subsequently filed a joint brief, appealing from the judgment terminating their parental rights. We affirmed the judgment in a memorandum of decision dated July 8, 2008, Mem-08-127, and denied the mother's and father's subsequent joint motion for reconsideration. [¶ 19] After we affirmed the judgment terminating parental rights, the child lived in a pre-adoptive foster home. The State has represented that the child was adopted on January 30, 2009, by his pre-adoptive foster family. [2]