Under HB 1310, a permanency plan must include at least one intended permanent arrangement other than reunification. That’s a process known as “concurrent planning,” or pursuing two reunification plans at once.
Read More
Indiana is one of just six states that does not require counsel for children in child welfare cases in any situation, according to the National Association of Counsel for Children. Although Indiana Code § 31-32-4-2 does give state court judges the discretion to appoint counsel for children in child welfare cases, stakeholders say the Hoosier State could be forced to implement a direct representation program either through lawsuits filed by national children’s rights organization or federal legislation that Congress is considering.
Read More
The fallout is continuing from Indianapolis’ decision to switch providers of CASA and guardian ad litem services.
Read More
Filings for child in need of services and termination of parental rights cases have swung in opposite directions in the past few years, according to statistics released recently by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Read More
A failure to properly serve a mother with notice of a hearing voided an order that terminated the mother’s parental rights to her child, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled in a reversal Friday.
The Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed the termination of the parental rights of two parents with severe substance abuse issues, finding the issues that led to termination wouldn’t be remedied in the near future.
Orders terminating a mother’s parental rights were void for lack of personal jurisdiction because the Indiana Department of Child Services didn’t properly serve the mother, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.
The Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed a lower court’s termination of parental rights order despite what it called an “obvious error” in the order.
A lawsuit filed by the Pacific Legal Foundation is part of a legal strategy to set precedent nationwide “confirming the importance of parental rights and clarifying the need to include a neutral judge in child removal decisions.”
The Indiana House Judiciary Committee is considering an amendment that would allow for the appointment of counsel to certain kids in child in need of services or termination of parental rights cases.
A mother and father who continually failed to provide adequate care for their children could not convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana to restore their parental rights.
The termination of a Vanderburgh County mother’s parental rights to her minor child was based on sufficient evidence and did not violate her rights to due process, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.
Although the Legislative Council rejected a request to study the topic of providing attorneys to children in the child welfare system, Indiana state Sen. Jon Ford plans to keep pushing the matter by convening an independent study group to examine the issue.
A mother whose parental rights were terminated after a virtual hearing via Zoom has lost her appeal at the Indiana Supreme Court, which instead adopted as precedent a Court of Appeals analysis of how the mother’s due process rights were impacted by the virtual proceedings.
As the Legislature, agency stakeholders and foster parents restart the conversation about providing attorneys for children in child-in-need-of-services and termination of parental rights proceedings, the Child Advocates Direct Representation Program is an example of how direct representation works and what it can do.
A trial court didn’t err when it terminated the parental rights of a mother to her chronically ill son after multiple attempts were made to remedy the situation, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.
A southern Indiana couple facing both criminal charges and the termination of their parental rights due to allegations of unreasonable discipline against their children are seeking to use Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act to end, or at least pause, the litigation against them.
The Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 410 on Wednesday, a measure designed to give “kinship caregivers” the right to intervene in termination of parental rights cases.
A mother whose parental rights were terminated following a hearing held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic has lost her appeal of the termination, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding the technological issues that arose during the virtual hearing were not tantamount to a due process violation.
Upon being retained by D.S. as counsel in his CHINS proceedings, Indianapolis attorney Rachel Roman-Lagunas visited him regularly, spoke with his family, arranged an in-person visit between him and his mother and assisted in getting him therapy. However, in an unusual turn, her advocacy has been interrupted by the trial court blocking her participation in the case.
What began as a conversation 18 months ago culminated in May with the merger of the guardian ad litem and court appointed special advocates programs in Allen County, bringing together attorneys and volunteers to serve the abused and neglected children who are involved with the court system.
A Madison County mother was not denied due process in her termination of parental rights case, the Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed.
The Indiana Public Defender Commission is calling for proposals of projects that will help improve the assistance offered to children and families involved in the child welfare system and prevent involvement altogether.
Monroe County parents protesting the adoption of four of their 14 children could not sway the Indiana Court of Appeals that they were acting with the kids’ best interests in mind by seeking to withdraw their consents to adoption.