Opinion ID: 2284287
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Failure to Comply with Sections 453.070 and 453.077

Text: Mother claims that the trial court plainly erred by failing to order and review investigations and written post-placement assessments of the Child and the Adoptive Parents as required by sections 453.070 and 453.077. She asserts that because the trial court did not strictly comply with the statutory requirements, custody of the Child should be returned to her and the adoption petition should be dismissed. Under section 453.070.1, an adoption decree may not be entered until the juvenile division receives and reviews written reports about the adoptive parents and the child's suitability for adoption. This section mandates an investigation and written report. It states: [N]o decree for the adoption of a child under eighteen years of age shall be entered for the petitioner or petitioners in such adoption as ordered by the juvenile court having jurisdiction, until a full investigation, which includes an assessment of the adoptive parents, an appropriate postplacement assessment and a summary of written reports as provided for in section 453.026, and any other pertinent information relevant to whether the child is suitable for adoption by the petitioner and whether the petitioner is suitable as a parent for the child, has been made. [14] Section 453.070's investigation and report may be waived if the child is the natural child of one of the adoption petitioners or the natural parents have consented to the adoption. Section 453.070.5. In all other cases, the trial court shall order the division of family services, a juvenile officer, a licensed child-placement agency, a social worker, or any other suitable person appointed by the court to conduct the investigation and create a written report. Section 453.070.2. The written report shall be submitted to the court within ninety days of the request of the investigation. Id. Section 453.077 mandates a post-placement assessment to be conducted six months after the child has been placed in the custody of the adoptive parents. Any person authorized under section 453.070 or the person who conducted the section 453.026 pre-placement assessment may conduct the post-placement assessment. Section 453.077.1. [T]he postplacement assessment shall include an update of the preplacement assessment which was submitted to the court pursuant to section 453.070, and a report on the emotional, physical, and psychological status of the child. Id. The purpose of the reports mandated by sections 453.070 and 453.077 is to provide the trial court with adequate information to determine whether the child is suitable for adoption and whether it is in the best interest of the child to finalize the adoption. In re Adoption of G., 389 S.W.2d 63, 66 (Mo.App.1965). Although these reports do not adjudicate the issues, In re K.K.J., 984 S.W.2d 548, 554 (Mo.App. 1999), the trial court cannot make an informed decision in their absence. Completion and review of these reports post-decree is futile. In re Adoption of G., 389 S.W.2d at 66. In this case, the trial court was provided with an extensive report prepared about the Adoptive Parents' fitness to be foster parents, not adoptive parents, and a one-paragraph update to adoptive home study furnished by the GAL, Mr. Garrity. Neither document complies with either section 453.070 or section 453.077. Neither document examines whether Child was suitable for adoption, including whether circumstances warrant termination of parental rights or adoption without the Mother's consent. Neither document accesses the Adoptive Parents' fitness to be adoptive parents, nor do they evaluate the Adoptive Parents after Child was placed with them. The trial court did not comply with these mandatory investigations and written reports. The record shows that the trial court was not briefed fully about the best interests of the Child, his suitability for adoption, and the suitability of the Adoptive Parents. The importance of this information is apparent from the legislature's express statement that no adoption decree should be entered without complying with the investigation and reporting requirements. Section 453.070.1. In this case, those reports would have provided information about Mother that was not otherwise before the trial court. It was manifestly unjust for the trial court to enter its judgment without the essential information in these reports.