Court Opinion

ID: 9794214
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 03:01:22.45179+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:12:59.471361
License: Public Domain

RABINO WITZ, Justice,
dissenting in part.
I agree with the court’s holding that the Indian Child Welfare Act applies to L.J.J.’s petition to vacate the adoption decree here in question, and further agree with the court’s rejection of the “Indian family” exception to the Act’s coverage. L.J.J. has standing to challenge the adoption because she is the biological parent of T.N.F., an Indian child. I cannot agree with the court’s holding that the one year statute of limitations provided in AS 25.23.140(b) bars L.J.J.’s § 1914 action to vacate the adoption decree.
As the majority notes, “The critical issue is whether Congress intended state statutes of limitations to apply to § 1914 actions to set aside consents which are invalid under the terms of the Act.” Maj.Op. at 979 (emphasis in original). In my view Congress’ intent is clear. State statutes of limitations are inapplicable in circumstances where a § 1914 action is based on noncompliance with the provisions of § 1913(a).
Section 1913(a) provides:
Where any parent or Indian custodian voluntarily consents to a foster care placement or to termination of parental rights, such consent shall not be valid unless executed in writing and recorded before a judge of a court of competent jurisdiction and accompanied by the presiding judge’s certificate that the terms and consequences of the consent were fully explained in detail and were fully understood by the parent or Indian custodian. The court shall also certify that either the parent or Indian custodian fully understood the explanation in English or that it was interpreted into a language that the parent or Indian custodian understood. Any consent given pri- or to, or within ten days after, birth of the Indian child shall not be valid.
25 U.S.C. § 1913(a) (Supp.1987) (emphasis added).
Given the unambiguous text of § 1913(a), I conclude Congress intended that any consent obtained in violation of the strict procedural safeguards governing termination of parental rights was to have no force or effect. It follows that an adoption based on an invalid consent is void ab initio, and that a petition to vacate such a void decree can, pursuant to § 1914, be filed at any time.
*985Admittedly, the factual circumstances of this case are highly unusual and there are significant considerations which militate against disturbing any parent-adoptive child relationship. Nevertheless, I believe that my reading of §§ 1913(a) and 1914 is consonant with Congress’ overall intent in enacting the Indian Child Welfare Act and with the specific intent reflected in the procedural safeguards provided in § 1913(a).
It is apparent that the provisions of' § 1913(a) were designed to increase the likelihood that a consent to termination of parental rights was in fact voluntarily given. If, but only if, ICWA’s procedures are followed does the Act achieve its purpose to establish “minimum Federal standards for the removal of Indian children from their families.” 25 U.S.C. § 1902 (Supp. 1987). If, but only if, such procedures have been followed should a parent of an Indian child need allege fraud, duress, or other misconduct.
I cannot agree that the absence of fraud or duress under § 1913(d) impliedly limits the protections of § 1913(a). § 1913(d) delimits minimum not maximum protection; it expands not contracts the rights of Indian parents. The majority instead construes the narrow provision of § 1913(d) to restrict the broad scope of ICWA and hobble its purpose.1
I would hold that L.J.J.’s petition to vacate the adoption decree is not barred by the one year statute of limitations of AS 25.23.140(b).2

. The legislative history of ICWA discloses that Congress was aware of the following considerations:
The decision to take Indian children from their natural homes is, in most cases, carried out without due process of law....
Many cases do not go through an adjudicatory process at all, since the voluntary waiver of parental rights is a device widely employed by social workers to gain custody of children. Because of the availability of waivers and because a great number of Indian parents depend on welfare payments for survival, they are exposed to the sometimes coercive arguments of welfare departments.
See H.R.Rep. No. 1386, 95th Cong., 2d Sess. 11 (1978), reprinted in 1978 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 7530, 7533.

. In reaching this conclusion I reject appellee’s harmless error and substantial compliance arguments as lacking in merit.