Orange Cnty. Soc. Servs. Agency v. United States (In re Miguel S.)

203 Cal. Rptr. 3d 312, 248 Cal. App. 4th 164
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedJune 7, 2016
DocketG052683
StatusPublished

This text of 203 Cal. Rptr. 3d 312 (Orange Cnty. Soc. Servs. Agency v. United States (In re Miguel S.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Orange Cnty. Soc. Servs. Agency v. United States (In re Miguel S.), 203 Cal. Rptr. 3d 312, 248 Cal. App. 4th 164 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

FYBEL, J.

INTRODUCTION

U.S., the presumed father of now five-year-old Robert S. and three-year-old Miguel S. (collectively, the children), and J.V., Robert's biological father, each appeal from the juvenile court's order terminating their parental rights. U.S. and J.V. argue insufficient evidence supports the juvenile court's finding that the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA; 25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq. ) does not apply in this case, and further argue the Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) failed to comply with its obligations under ICWA. U.S. and J.V. also argue the juvenile court erred by finding the children adoptable and terminating parental rights while a child abuse report investigation was pending.

We grant SSA's unopposed motion to take additional evidence under Code of Civil Procedure section 909, which shows the juvenile court concluded the child abuse report was unfounded and the home study for Miguel and Robert's prospective adoptive parents was completed and approved by SSA. That evidence moots U.S.'s and J.V.'s challenges to the order terminating parental rights based on the pendency of the child abuse report investigation at the time of the permanency hearing.

As for U.S.'s and J.V.'s ICWA challenges, although SSA was informed the children were both eligible to enroll in two different Chippewa tribes, our record does not show that any further efforts on the part of SSA or the juvenile court were made before SSA proposed that the court find that ICWA did not apply and the juvenile court made that finding. We therefore reverse the order terminating parental rights for the limited purpose of allowing SSA to make active efforts necessary to secure tribal membership for the children, in compliance with rules 5.482(c) and 5.484(c)(2) of the California Rules of Court.

BACKGROUND

I.

THE AMENDED JUVENILE DEPENDENCY PETITIONS

In December 2013, the juvenile court sustained amended juvenile dependency petitions filed by SSA on behalf of Robert and Miguel. The petition on behalf of Robert alleged that he came within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivisions (b) (failure to protect) and (g) (no provision for support). (All further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise specified.) The petition on behalf of Miguel alleged that he also came within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under section 300, subdivisions (b) and (g).

In one or both of the petitions, SSA alleged the children's mother (Mother), herself a minor and dependent of the Orange County Juvenile Court, had absconded from Orangewood Children and Family Center. She had dropped off the children with caregivers without providing for their support or authorization for any medical needs. Mother expressed that it was too difficult for her to care for the children. She had an unresolved substance abuse problem that included the use of marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. Mother and U.S. had engaged in domestic violence. Both U.S. and J.V. were incarcerated.

The juvenile court vested custody of the children with SSA and approved case plans and visitation plans.

*315II.

ALTHOUGH SSA IS INFORMED THE CHILDREN ARE BOTH ELIGIBLE FOR ENROLLMENT IN TWO DIFFERENT NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, THE JUVENILE COURT FINDS ICWA DOES NOT APPLY TO THE CHILDREN.

In September 2013, Mother had told a social worker that she had Native American heritage through the Chippewa tribe and that her maternal grandmother, who lived in Oregon, might be able to provide more information. A social worker spoke with the children's maternal great-great-grandmother and their maternal great-grandmother, who each confirmed the maternal great-great-grandfather was enrolled with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The social worker contacted Janice Cadottet, who worked with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, to obtain more information. Cadottet confirmed that the children's maternal great-aunt is an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Chippewa Indian tribe. Cadottet informed the social worker that "the children are or may be eligible for enrollment with either one of those two Chippewa Indian tribes." ICWA 30-day notices were sent.

The record contains a form, purportedly from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas, dated October 29, 2013, which requests the family history for the children's maternal biological grandmother.

On November 12, 2013, the social worker received a call from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians and was told that the children were eligible for enrollment with that tribe. A day later, the social worker was informed by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin that the children were eligible for enrollment with their Indian tribe. The social worker was further informed Mother, at that time "a minor dependent" who was "AWOL from placement," was eligible for enrollment in both tribes. The social worker stated, "[i]n order to move forward with Tribal enrollment for the children ..., SSA needs mother to present herself to court, choose to enroll herself in one of the two Chippewa Indian tribes. Once mother has enrolled in either Chippewa Indian tribe then SSA can move forward to enroll the children ... in that same Chippewa Tribe."

Our record discloses no further action after November 2013, until an interim review report, dated April 22, 2014, stated, "[i]t is respectfully requested that the Court make a finding as to the children's Indian Child Welfare Act Status." The report further stated that ICWA "does or may apply" as each child might be an Indian child in the Chippewa tribe and was ICWA "eligible" (capitalization & boldface omitted). SSA proposed the court find "ICWA does not apply," and the juvenile court's minute order, dated April 22, 2014, contains the finding, "ICWA does not apply." In a minute order dated June 19, 2014, the juvenile court again stated: "Court finds ICWA does not apply."

III.

THE JUVENILE COURT TERMINATES PARENTAL RIGHTS; U.S. AND J.V. APPEAL.

The juvenile court terminated reunification services in April 2015 and set a permanency hearing. As to the issue of ICWA compliance, the permanency hearing report stated: "Per the Orange County Juvenile Court Minute Orders dated April 22, 2014, and June 19, 2014, the Indian Child Welfare Act does not apply."

At the permanency hearing, the juvenile court found it likely the children would be adopted and that adoption was in their *316best interests. The court terminated parental rights as to Mother, U.S., and J.V., and placed the children for adoption.

U.S. and J.V. each appealed from the order terminating parental rights.

DISCUSSION

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT ICWA DID NOT APPLY IN THIS CASE AND THAT SSA MADE ACTIVE EFFORTS TO SECURE TRIBAL ENROLLMENT FOR THE CHILDREN.

U.S. and J.V. argue insufficient evidence supports the finding that ICWA did not apply. They also argue SSA failed to make active efforts to secure tribal enrollment for the children. We agree with both contentions.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
203 Cal. Rptr. 3d 312, 248 Cal. App. 4th 164, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/orange-cnty-soc-servs-agency-v-united-states-in-re-miguel-s-calctapp5d-2016.