In re Nathan D. CA1/2

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 13, 2014
DocketA142172
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re Nathan D. CA1/2 (In re Nathan D. CA1/2) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Nathan D. CA1/2, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 8/13/14 In re Nathan D. CA1/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 TWO

In re Nathan D., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.

STEPHANIE D., Petitioner, v. THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LAKE A142172 COUNTY, (Lake County Respondent, Super. Ct. No. JV320393) LAKE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, et al. Real Parties in Interest.

Stephanie D. has been incarcerated in Arizona for most of the life of her son, Nathan D. When Nathan was an infant, Stephanie left him temporarily in the care of Tracy B., who obtained a court order in Arizona naming her Nathan’s guardian. Tracy refused to allow Stephanie contact with Nathan when she was not incarcerated and Stephanie did not know where they resided or how to contact them. In 2011, an Arizona court revoked Tracy’s appointment as guardian and in 2013, Tracy and Nathan moved to California. Nathan was detained by the Child Welfare Service (CWS) of the Lake County Department of Social Services when Tracy was arrested. Stephanie was informed and

1 expressed her interest in reuniting with Nathan when she is released from prison in June, 2015. The juvenile court sustained jurisdiction allegations and at a disposition hearing ruled that providing reunification services to Stephanie would be detrimental to Nathan. The court set a date for a hearing pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code1 section 366.26. Stephanie contends that the juvenile court erred by denying her reunification services and has filed a petition for a writ of mandate to compel the Superior Court to (1) vacate its order setting a section 366.26 hearing, and (2) order that reunification services be provided. We issued an order to show cause. We conclude that the juvenile court’s determination that providing reunification services to Stephanie would be detrimental to Nathan was supported by substantial evidence and deny the petition. BACKGROUND I. Nathan’s and Stephanie’s Background2 Nathan was born to Stephanie in 2004 in Arizona He is now nine years old. Stephanie informed CWS that the alleged father, Joshua D., never provided support for Nathan. CWS was unable to locate Joshua. Nathan has a number of half-siblings. The oldest is Houston D., now 18 years old and residing in Ohio. Emily W. is 15 years old and resides with her father in Arizona. Before giving birth to Nathan, Stephanie also had twin girls who were given up for adoption at birth. Before Nathan was born, Stephanie had prearranged an adoption with Tamara A., who was present at Nathan’s birth and whose last name appears on Nathan’s birth certificate. When Nathan was born, Stephanie recanted the adoption agreement. Stephanie has a criminal record dating back to July 14, 1997, with multiple arrests for offenses including possession of stolen vehicles, possession/sales of drugs, drug 1 Unless otherwise indicated, all statutory citations are to the Welfare and Institutions Code. 2 The personal background is stated from reports provided to the court by CWS.

2 paraphernalia, alien smuggling, and forgery. In a letter to a CWS social worker, Stephanie stated that she was on probation in 2005 and “[her] probation officer told [her] that [she] needed to put [her] kids, plus [her] sisters, into a temporary guardianship until [she] was back on track with probation.” An acquaintance at her church, Tracy B., agreed “to do the temporary guardianship.” On July 18, 2005, Tracy and her husband, Andrew E., filed a “[petition for permanent appointment of guardian of a minor]” in Maricopa County, Arizona. The petition stated that Nathan “will be continuing in our care until mother is able to get [him] back & support [him] in a stable safe environment.” When Stephanie finished a work furlough program, Tracy refused to return Nathan to her. Stephanie tried to locate Tracy, “but everytime [she] got close [Tracy] would up and move.” On March 17, 2006, the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona appointed Tracy as Nathan’s permanent guardian.3 Stephanie maintains that she was never aware that a permanent guardianship of Nathan had been established and that she had no notice of the guardianship proceeding. On November 21, 2006, Stephanie was sentenced to three years in prison for drug possession and was released in August 2009. According to Stephanie, Tracy sent her letters with pictures of Nathan during her incarceration, but the return address was a post office box, so she remained ignorant of their specific location. After her release, Tracy gave Stephanie her telephone number and they made arrangements to meet at a church so Stephanie could see Nathan. Tracy reneged on the meeting and disconnected her phone. Stephanie never knew where Tracy and Nathan were until she was contacted by CWS in connection with this case. On March 9, 2010, Stephanie was sentenced to a prison term of four years and three months on a drug charge in Arizona. She was later convicted for “trafficking identity; attempt to commit; repetitive” and sentenced to five years and six months, to be

3 Both Tracy and Andrew E., were appointed as guardians in 2006. However, at a guardianship review hearing in 2010, only Tracy was designated as a guardian.

3 served concurrently with her sentence for the drug conviction. Stephanie is currently incarcerated in Arizona and her earliest date of release is June 15, 2015. Release on that date will be under supervision, which will end on June 13, 2016. II. The Juvenile Court Proceedings On January 27, 2014, Tracy, residing with Nathan in Clearlake, California,4 was arrested on various charges not relevant to the petition before us. The police detained Nathan “due to having no legal caretaker available and due to questions regarding the identities and relationship between [Tracy] and the minor.” On January 29, 2014, CWS filed a juvenile dependency petition, pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 300. The juvenile court held a detention hearing on January 30, 2014. Tracy was present, in custody, and counsel was appointed to represent her. Separate counsel was appointed to represent Nathan. The court ordered Nathan detained. CWS filed a jurisdiction report on February 20, 2014, and the juvenile court held a jurisdiction hearing on February 24, 2014. Stephanie was present by telephone. The court appointed counsel for Stephanie and continued the hearing. On March 21, 2014, Tracy, in custody, and Stephanie, by telephone, were present. Counsel for CWS and for Stephanie objected to Tracy’s presence, challenging her status as Nathan’s guardian, based on information in the jurisdiction report. The court questioned Tracy, who continued to maintain that she was Nathan’s guardian and was in the process of obtaining proof from Arizona. The hearing was continued so that Tracy’s status could be resolved. On April 4, 2014, CWS filed a supplemental report, concluding that Tracy’s guardianship of Nathan was terminated in Arizona on September 25, 2011 and that Tracy had no standing in the dependency proceedings.

4 Tracy later told the juvenile court that she moved to California with Nathan in January 2013.

4 On April 7, 2014, Stephanie was present by telephone. Tracy was not present and the matter of her status was continued to give CWS time to obtain proof that her guardianship was terminated in 2011. On April 28, 2014, Tracy, now out of custody, was present. Stephanie was present by telephone. Tracy maintained that she could obtain documentation, dated after September 25, 2011, showing that she remained Nathan’s guardian.

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Bluebook (online)
In re Nathan D. CA1/2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-nathan-d-ca12-calctapp-2014.