Opinion ID: 1837556
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: failure to hold detention hearing

Text: Mercedes' children were taken into custody on March 22, 2001, and on March 23, in accordance with Neb.Rev. Stat. § 43-250(4) (Reissue 1998), the court issued an ex parte order granting DHHS temporary custody of the children. The record, however, fails to show that the juvenile court conducted a detention hearing in this case. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-248(3) (Reissue 1998) allows the State to take a juvenile into custody without a warrant or order of the court when it appears the juvenile is seriously endangered in his or her surroundings and immediate removal appears to be necessary for the juvenile's protection. However, the parent retains a liberty interest in the continuous custody of his or her child. An ex parte order subsequently authorizing temporary custody with DHHS is permitted because of its short duration and the requirement of further action by the State before custody can be continued. See In re Interest of R.G., 238 Neb. 405, 470 N.W.2d 780 (1991) (analyzing interests involved at removal stage and requirements of Due Process Clause), disapproved on other grounds, O'Connor v. Kaufman, 255 Neb. 120, 582 N.W.2d 350 (1998). But the State may not, in exercising its parens patriae interest, unreasonably delay in notifying a parent that the State has taken emergency action regarding that parent's child nor unreasonably delay in providing the parent a meaningful hearing. In re Interest of R.G., 238 Neb. at 419, 470 N.W.2d at 790. A prompt detention hearing is required in order to protect the parent against the risk of an erroneous deprivation of his or her parental interests. See id. [C]ontinued detention pending adjudication is not permitted under the Nebraska Juvenile Code unless the State can establish by a preponderance of the evidence at an adversarial hearing that such detention is necessary for the welfare of the juvenile. In re Interest of Anthony G., 255 Neb. 442, 446, 586 N.W.2d 427, 429-30 (1998). Accord, In re Interest of Borius H. et al., 251 Neb. 397, 558 N.W.2d 31 (1997); In re Interest of R.G., supra . That evidence includes proof that reasonable efforts were made to preserve and reunify the family when required under Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-283.01 (Reissue 1998). This hearing is a parent's opportunity to be heard on the need for the removal and the satisfaction of the State's obligations under § 43-283.01, and it is not optional when a child is detained for any significant period of time. Although the juvenile court's preprinted form order entitled Adjudication Hearing contained a checkmark beside a standard finding that reasonable efforts were made to preserve and reunify the family as required under Sec. 43-283.01, there is no record of any evidentiary hearing to support such determination. In In re Interest of R.G., supra , we concluded that the mother's due process rights were not violated by a 14-day delay between the entry of an ex parte order and a detention order when she was given an opportunity to be heard at the detention hearing and was allowed to visit her children in the interim. We cautioned, however, that the 14 days elapsing between the entry of the ex parte order and the hearing poise the procedures employed in this case on the brink of unreasonableness. 238 Neb. at 423, 470 N.W.2d at 792. In this case, the record contains no indication that the State ever notified Mercedes of what emergency action had been taken regarding her children or how she could contact DHHS. Nor does the record contain any evidence that the State provided a meaningful opportunity for Mercedes to be heard on the issue of whether emergency removal was necessary. Furthermore, 18 days elapsed between the entry of the ex parte order and the adjudication hearing without the State ever showing that the requirements of § 43-254 were satisfied. These procedures denied Mercedes due process and are plain error.