Court Opinion

ID: 9899891
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-17 20:05:13.295539+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:53.141349
License: Public Domain

Filed 11/17/23 In re M.P. CA1/3
                  NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for
publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or
ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

          IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

                                      FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

                                                DIVISION THREE

 In re M.P., a Person Coming
 Under the Juvenile Court Law.

 SONOMA COUNTY HUMAN
 SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
                                                                    A168158
           Plaintiff and Respondent,
 v.                                                                 (Sonoma County Sup. Ct.
                                                                    No. DEP6585)
 S.P.,
           Defendant and Appellant.

                                       MEMORANDUM OPINION1
         In 2022, the Sonoma County Human Services Department
(Department) filed a petition alleging M.P., then two years old, suffered or
was at substantial risk of suffering serious emotional and physical harm or
illness because of S.P.’s (mother) substance abuse and domestic violence.
(Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300, subds. (a), (b)(1), (c); subsequent statutory

         1 We resolve this case by memorandum opinion.  (Cal. Stds. Jud.
Admin., § 8.1.) We recite only those facts necessary to resolve the limited
issue before us.

                                                               1
references are to this code.) The juvenile court sustained the petition and
later terminated parental rights.
      Under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA; 25 U.S.C. § 1901 et
seq.) — a statute establishing minimum federal standards that state courts
must follow before removing an Indian child from their family (25 U.S.C.
§ 1903(4); § 224.1, subds. (a)–(b); In re T.G. (2020) 58 Cal.App.5th 275,
287) — the Department was required to inquire whether M.P. had any Indian
heritage. (In its order after the dispositional hearing, the juvenile court
found there was no reason to know M.P. was an Indian child.) On appeal,
mother argues the Department failed to comply with its ICWA obligations.
The Department agrees, and so do we.
      The Department concedes it did not interview all known extended
family members. (See § 224.2, subd. (b).) Additionally, after mother
indicated she had “Pomo Indian and Apache Indian” ancestry, the
Department sent an ICWA inquiry letter to various tribes, but it omitted
known or readily available information and included incorrect information
about familial relationships. Moreover, it communicated with maternal
grandmother — who provided “additional information about Native American
ancestry” — but failed to include that information in the section 366.26
report. Given these deficiencies, we conditionally reverse the juvenile court’s
order terminating parental rights for a limited remand to ensure compliance
with ICWA’s inquiry obligations. (In re Justin S. (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th
1426, 1437.)
                                DISPOSITION
      The juvenile court’s order terminating parental rights is conditionally
reversed. The matter is remanded to permit the Department and the court to
comply with the inquiry and notice provisions of ICWA and California law.

                                        2
If the court finds M.P. is an Indian child, it must conduct a new section
366.26 hearing and all further proceedings in compliance with ICWA and
related California law. If the court concludes ICWA does not apply, the order
terminating parental rights must be immediately reinstated.

                                       3
                                _________________________
                                Rodríguez, J.

WE CONCUR:

_________________________
Tucher, P. J.

_________________________
Fujisaki, J.

A168158

                            4