Opinion ID: 2632240
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children

Text: ¶ 45 Petitioner asserts the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, codified at 25 O.S.Supp.1991, 571 et seq., governs subject matter jurisdiction and negates the trial court's action. The ICPC does not negate subject matter jurisdiction under the Oklahoma Adoption Code and Petitioner does not cite any legal authority that so holds. In the case at bar, the biological mother brought Baby to Oklahoma and relinquished her parental rights, then left the state and abandoned Baby. The trial court assumed emergency jurisdiction and placed Baby with Agency, which clearly was in Baby's best interest. Agency sent Baby to Idaho, following the trial court's order that released him for adoption in another state and pending ICPC approval. ¶ 46 We recognize that the biological mother failed to obtain ICPC approval prior to the time she brought Baby to Oklahoma and relinquished her parental rights. However, retroactive compliance with ICPC provisions suffices to uphold court orders issued prior to compliance. Indeed, the state of Missouri, which Petitioner argues should have jurisdiction, has held that revoking consent due to noncompliance with the ICPC, could produce a potentially harsh result that may be contrary to the child's best interests. In re Baby Girl, 850 S.W.2d 64, 71 (Mo.1993). ¶ 47 The purpose of the ICPC is to promote interstate placement of children and to provide each child,  . . . the maximum opportunity to be placed in a suitable environment. . . . 25 O.S.Supp.1991, 571, Article I(a). In the instant case, the essential requirements of a sound adoption were met. The biological mother gave her irrevocable consent before the trial court and filed no document in which she purported to revoke that consent. To the contrary, she testified at the final evidentiary hearing that she wanted the adoption to take place and that she believed it was in Baby's best interests to be adopted by Does/Intervenors. The adoptive parents agreed to adopt Baby and were found to be exemplary parents. Petitioner's parental rights were terminated. Therefore, only the failure to comply with the Compact when the biological mother brought Baby to Oklahoma would stand in the way of a final order of adoption by the Idaho adoption court. ¶ 48 Our paramount duty is to protect Baby's best interests, and for us to hold that the trial court's order is void for failure to comply with the ICPC at one juncture would not be in Baby's best interests. Such a holding would be an unusually harsh result and would punish Baby, an innocent party. If the state of Oklahoma or the state of Missouri initially had received an opportunity to evaluate the planned interstate placement of Baby with the prospective adoptive parents (Does/Intervenors) prior to the biological mother's journey with Baby to Oklahoma, it is clear to us Compact officials would have determined Does/Intervenors would afford Baby a suitable environment in their secure, loving home. Thus, the Compact's ultimate goal was achieved. Retroactive compliance with the ICPC is possible and best serves Baby's interests.