Opinion ID: 874107
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Department was authorized to petition for the termination of Jane Doe's parental rights in her youngest child, and the court had jurisdiction to consider the petition.

Text: Jane Doe argues that it was premature for the Department to file a petition for the termination of her parental rights in her youngest child S.H., because she was not given a reasonable chance to complete the case plan. According to Jane Doe, the Department wished to simply go through the motions of preparing a case plan, with no intention of it allowing for the constitutionally and statutorily required reunification. She argues that under these circumstances, the Department is not authorized to petition for termination, the court does not have jurisdiction, and her due process rights have been violated. The Department's authority to petition for the termination of parental rights is set forth in both the CPA (chapter 16, title 16, Idaho Code) and the termination statute (chapter 20, title 16, Idaho Code). Pursuant to the termination statute, a petition may be filed by ... [a]n authorized agency. I.C. § 16-2004. Authorized agency is defined as including the department, which is in turn defined as the department of health and welfare. Idaho Code § 16-2002(9) and (10). Idaho Code § 16-2003 grants courts exclusive jurisdiction over termination actions where the court has jurisdiction over the child under the CPA. Thus, pursuant to the termination statute, the Department is generally authorized to petition for the termination of parental rights, and the court has jurisdiction over such a termination proceeding as long as it has jurisdiction over the child under the CPA. Under the CPA: If the child has been placed in the legal custody of the department or under its protective supervision pursuant to section 16-1619, Idaho Code, the department may petition the court for termination of the parent and child relationship in accordance with chapter 20, title 16, Idaho Code. Idaho Code § 16-1624. After a CPA petition has been filed, the court must set an adjudicatory hearing to be held within thirty days, and if a preponderance of the evidence at the adjudicatory hearing shows that the child comes within the court's jurisdiction under the CPA, then the court must place the child in either the legal custody of the Department or under its protective supervision. Idaho Code § 16-1619. If the court choses to place the child in legal custody of the Department, it must make additional written findings as provided in I.C. § 16-1619(6); however, if the court chooses instead to place the child under the protective supervision of the Department, it need do no more than find jurisdiction under the CPA. Thus, under the authority granted by the CPA, the Department is authorized to petition for termination if the court has jurisdiction over the child under the CPA. Idaho Code § 16-1603 grants courts exclusive original jurisdiction in all proceedings under the CPA concerning any child living or found within the state: (a) Who is neglected, abused or abandoned by his parents, guardian or other legal custodian, or who is homeless; or (b) Whose parents or other legal custodian fails to provide a stable home environment. In the case at hand, S.H. was found to be within the court's jurisdiction under the CPA at the adjudicatory hearing based upon an unstable home environment and was placed in the legal custody of the Department. On appeal, Jane Doe does not challenge the trial court's finding of jurisdiction over S.H. at the adjudicatory hearing. This jurisdiction is the trial court's basis for jurisdiction in these termination proceedings; therefore, we hold that the Department had the authority to pursue the termination of Jane Doe's rights in her youngest child, and the court had jurisdiction over the petition. Jane Doe also argues that both due process and the Idaho Code require the Department to make reasonable efforts at reunification before a court can terminate parental rights. Jane Doe argues that in a case like this where there is a case plan under the CPA, the parent must be given a sufficient chance to complete the case plan before termination is pursued in order for the Department to fulfill its obligatory efforts to reunite the parent and child. Jane Doe relies on the purpose section of the termination statute, which provides in relevant part: (1) The purpose of this chapter is to: ... (b) Provide permanency for children who are under the jurisdiction of the court through the child protective act, chapter 16, title 16, Idaho Code, where the court has found the existence of aggravated circumstances or that reasonable efforts to return the child to his or her home have failed. Idaho Code § 16-2001. Relatedly, the policy provision of the CPA notes the importance of family unity. Idaho Code § 16-1601. Both the termination statute and the CPA seek to balance aims that are sometimes in conflictsuch as the best interests of the child and family unity. While the purpose provision of the termination statute suggests that the termination statute addresses only those cases where the court has found either aggravated circumstances or the failure of reasonable efforts to return the child, the purpose provision in the termination statute is not a source of specific substantive criteria for termination, and while the purpose and policy provisions may shed some light on the statutes, the specific provisions govern. As already explained, I.C. § 16-1624 explicitly authorizes the Department to file a petition to terminate parental rights after a court has placed the child in either the legal custody of the Department or under its protective supervision upon concluding the adjudicatory hearing pursuant to I.C. § 16-1619. Upon conclusion of the adjudicatory hearing in this case, the trial court found that it had jurisdiction and placed S.H. in the legal custody of the Department. Thus, at this point, the Department was authorized to petition for termination. And, whether the Department had enough admissible evidence to support the clear and convincing standard for termination was not at issue at this moment in time; this issue was left to the trial process, affording Jane Doe the requisite due process protections. Jane Doe also relies on the time standard under the definition of neglect in I.C. § 16-2002(3)(b), which provides that neglect means: The parent(s) has failed to comply with the court's orders in a child protective act case or the case plan, and reunification of the child with his or her parent(s) has not occurred within the time standards set forth in section 16-1629(9), Idaho Code. Idaho Code § 16-1629(9) provides that [t]here shall be a rebuttable presumption that if a child is placed in the custody of the department and was also placed in out of the home care for a period not less than fifteen (15) out of the last twenty-two (22) months from the date the child entered shelter care, the department shall initiate a petition for termination of parental rights. Idaho Code § 16-2002(3)(b) sets forth one of three definitions of neglect, each of which definitions are independent bases upon which a parent's rights may be terminated. As set forth in the next section ( infra Part B.3), we affirm the trial court's termination of Jane Doe's parental rights in her youngest child based on neglect as defined in both I.C. § 16-1602(25)(a) and (b), not as defined in I.C. § 16-2002(3)(b). Therefore, the time standard referenced in I.C. § 16-2002(3)(b) has no bearing on this decision, and the definitions of neglect in I.C. § 16-1602(25)(a) and (b) do not contain a time standard.