Court Opinion

ID: 9635547
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 13:53:58.777705+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:29.625122
License: Public Domain

NIX, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
In this appeal Sandra Burns, natural mother of Shannon Coleen Burns and Kelly Taylor, appealed from the decree of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Greene County involuntarily terminating her parental rights. I agree, under the facts of this case, with the majority’s conclusion that the record establishes that “for a period of at least six months [Ms. Burns] refused or failed to perform parental duties”1 and therefore the court was correct in entering the order as to the minor Shannon Coleen Burns.
I cannot, however, agree with that conclusion with reference to the older daughter, Kelly Taylor. As the majority opinion indicates, the court below refused to terminate the rights of Kelly’s natural father, Paul Taylor. Under these circumstances, it is obvious that at the present time an adoption of Kelly is not being contemplated. In our recent decision in In re: Male Infant B. E., 474 Pa. 139, 377 A.2d 153 (1977), we held that the Adoption Act provides for termination of parental rights only in connection with a plan for adoption. In my judgment the ruling in that case precludes the involuntary termination of Ms. Burns’ parental rights as to Kelly at this time.

. See Act of July 24, 1970, P.L. 620, § 311, 1 P.S. § 311 (Supp.1976).