Opinion ID: 2737443
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The placement hearing and appeal

Text: The superior court noted at the outset of the placement hearing that it would not consolidate the CINA placement case with the adoption case, but cautioned the Tribe that it would not get “two bites at the apple”; in other words, “if the Tribe los[t], it [would]n’t get to contest placement in the adoption proceeding.”48 We explained in Tununak I that “[w]hen the court declined to consolidate the two cases, it stated that the future adoption proceeding would be dependent on the placement ruling in the CINA case”49 and that “denying the Tribe’s objections to adoptive placement [effectively] . . . clear[ed] the way for the Smiths to adopt Dawn.”50 44 Id. 45 Id. 46 Id. 47 Id. 48 Id. at 443. 49 Id. 50 Id. at 444. -9- 6954 Elise testified at the hearing.51 She had previously been an ICWA social worker and was aware of her ICWA rights.52 When asked if she wanted to take care of Dawn just because the Tribe wanted her to she answered with an equivocal “[y]es and no.”53 She clarified: “[I]t is my right to adopt or take my granddaughter and . . . raise her as an Alaska Native . . . because she is part of my flesh and blood and so that she [can] learn her values in Native culture and traditions and where she came from.”54 Elise also said that she had not been able to see Dawn very often due to the expense of travel; she did not call or write letters to Dawn because the child was too young to read or communicate; she knew Dawn did not know her at that point; and she understood Dawn would have to be gradually introduced to life in the village to prevent culture shock.55 Elise testified that she wanted Dawn to be placed with her “from the beginning” and she recognized that “if [Dawn] had moved [in] with me when [Dawn] was [a] young infant, then it could have been easier because [Dawn] would have known [her] grandmother[,]” but at this point Dawn had been “raised by [Kim and Harry Smith].” Elise also indicated at this hearing that she had filed a petition to adopt Dawn, but the record contains no evidence that such a petition was ever filed, and no party has argued to the contrary.56 In its decision on placement the superior court noted that Elise was 67 years old and would be 82 when Dawn turned 18.57 The court found Elise’s testimony on the 51 Id. at 437-38. 52 Id. 53 Id. at 438. 54 Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). 55 Id. 56 In its briefing to us the Tribe conceded that no court petition was filed. 57 Id. at 439. -10- 6954 question of whether she wanted to adopt Dawn “less than convincing” and pointed out that she had maintained almost no contact with Dawn and knew nothing of Dawn’s life in Anchorage.58 The court also found that Elise testified that she wanted to adopt Dawn because the Tribe wanted her to.59 The court found that the Smiths had been “exceptional foster parents” to Dawn.60 Ultimately, the court determined there was good cause to deviate from ICWA’s placement preferences by a preponderance of the evidence in accordance with Alaska Adoption Rule 11(f).61 The Tribe moved to stay the Smiths’ adoption proceeding pending the Tribe’s appeal of the placement ruling to our court, but this motion was denied.62