Opinion ID: 2632199
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Constitutional Significance

Text: The United States Supreme Court has recognized that parents possess a right to the companionship, care, custody, and management of their children, Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 651, 92 S.Ct. 1208, 31 L.Ed.2d 551 (1972), and a fundamental right to maintain family relationships free from governmental interference. See generally id. Very recently, the Court reiterated this position, noting that the interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children  is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court. Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 120 S.Ct. 2054, 2060, 147 L.Ed.2d 49 (2000). As such, the government must meet certain due process and equal protection standards before these constitutional rights can be extinguished. Logically, the greater the deprivation, the greater the procedural protection provided to parents. When a permanent termination of parental rights is sought, a parent's rights must be protected with fundamentally fair procedures. Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 745, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982). Applying the three-prong test articulated in Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319, 335, 96 S.Ct. 893, 47 L.Ed.2d 18 (1976), the Supreme Court concluded that due process mandated a higher standard of proof than a preponderance of the evidence standard when parental rights were being permanently terminated. In holding that the minimum standard of proof required in a parental rights termination proceeding is clear and convincing evidence, the Court stated that the private interest affected is commanding, the risk of error from using a preponderance of the evidence standard is substantial, and the countervailing governmental interest favoring that standard is comparatively slight. See Santosky, 455 U.S. at 758, 769-70, 102 S.Ct. 1388. The court noted that the standard of proof necessary turns in large part on both the nature of the threatened private interest and the permanency of the threatened loss. See id. at 758, 102 S.Ct. 1388. This court, in the same year, applied the Santosky standard to termination proceedings in Colorado. See People in Interest of A.M.D., 648 P.2d 625 (Colo.1982). We held that the clear and convincing evidence standard mandated by Santosky was adequate to protect the rights of the natural parent in termination proceedings. [6] See id. at 635. In addition, this court addressed the issue of whether the preponderance of the evidence standard that applies during a dependency or neglect proceeding was sufficient to protect a parent's due process rights even though an adverse finding in that hearing could be the basis of a subsequent termination of parental rights. See § 19-3-604(1)(b). After applying the three-prong test of Mathews, we concluded that this standard was appropriate and constitutional. The court noted that the governmental interests reflected in the Children's Code are more extensive and weighty than those present in the Santosky case. In particular, we noted that prior to filing a petition in dependency or neglect, the state has limited authority to take action to protect a child. See A.M.D. 648 P.2d at 639. In addition, the court pointed out that a dependency or neglect proceeding is remedial in nature and the purpose is to preserve the family unit and assist parents and children in establishing a healthy relationship and home environment. See id. at 640. The court stated, [w]hen a dependency or neglect proceeding is viewed in light of its primary purpose  as helpful and remedial in preserving and mending familial ties  the importance of permitting State intervention on a standard of proof lower than clear and convincing becomes evident. Id. Accordingly, we held that while a standard of clear and convincing evidence is constitutionally mandated in a proceeding for terminating the parent-child relationship, a standard of a preponderance of the evidence is sufficient for dependency and neglect proceedings. See id. at 641.