Orange County Social Services Agency v. N.B.

239 Cal. App. 4th 1073
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 26, 2015
DocketG051319
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 239 Cal. App. 4th 1073 (Orange County Social Services Agency v. N.B.) 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
Orange County Social Services Agency v. N.B., 239 Cal. App. 4th 1073 (Cal. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

Opinion

FYBEL, J.

I. Introduction

N.B. (Mother) is the mother of D.B., who was taken into protective custody in December 2012 at the age of seven. Mother appeals from the juvenile court’s order under Welfare and Institutions Code section 364, *1075 subdivision (c) (section 364(c)), continuing dependency jurisdiction. 1 She argues that section 364(c) required the juvenile court to terminate jurisdiction because the evidence established continued supervision was unnecessary to protect D.B. from risk of harm. The Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) agrees with Mother that the juvenile court should have terminated dependency jurisdiction but, unlike Mother, believes D.B.’s father, A.K. (Father), should be granted visitation rights.

We reverse and remand. Section 364(c) states, “[t]he court shall terminate its jurisdiction unless the social worker or his or her department establishes by a preponderance of evidence that the conditions still exist which would justify initial assumption of jurisdiction under Section 300, or that those conditions are likely to exist if supervision is withdrawn.” (Italics added.) Substantial evidence did not support the juvenile court’s finding that the conditions justifying initial assumption of jurisdiction still existed. To the contrary, SSA took the position and proved those conditions no longer existed. We remand with directions to terminate dependency jurisdiction and to consider appropriate protective orders and visitation orders.

II. Facts and Procedural History

A. Initial Dependency Jurisdiction

D.B. was bom in September 2005. Mother was granted sole legal and physical custody of D.B. in August 2008 as the result of a domestic violence restraining order against Father. That restraining order expired in February 2009. From the time Mother was granted sole legal and physical custody of D.B., Father progressively received more frequent visitation and the right to daily telephone contact.

D.B. was taken into protective custody on December 12, 2012, based on allegations of general neglect. Mother and D.B. were homeless and Mother, who had health problems, had been admitted to a hospital on December 11, 2012. D.B. was returned to Mother’s custody and not detained.

On December 14, 2012, SSA filed a juvenile dependency petition (the Petition) alleging one count of failure to protect under section 300, subdivision (b). The Petition alleged the following:

Allegation b-1: Mother and D.B. were homeless and, for the past year, had been living in hotels. Mother had significant health problems requiring hospitalization for treatment. Although Mother had been released from the *1076 hospital, it was unknown whether her continuing treatment would require another period of hospitalization.

Allegation b-2: Mother and Father have a “history of domestic violence,” with the last incident occurring six years previously. D.B. reported that Father yells at Mother and demands information from her. D.B. did not want to live with Father.

Allegation b-3: On October 24, 2012, in D.B.’s presence, Mother’s boyfriend pushed Mother against a wall and threw her onto a bed.

Allegation b-4\ Father has a history of domestic violence with multiple partners, and there were six known past and present restraining orders against him. In the past year, Father had been arrested once on domestic violence charges. He is on probation and, as a probation condition, must enroll in a batterer’s treatment program.

Allegation b-5: On July 18, 2012, Father engaged in a “physical altercation” with his girlfriend. Although a restraining order was issued against Father, he continued to send the girlfriend threatening text messages.

Allegation b-6: Father has a criminal history which includes arrests or convictions for making a false identification to a peace officer, grand theft, burglary, obstructing a public officer, possession of marijuana for sale, battery, spousal battery, prohibited ownership of ammunition, stalking, false imprisonment, and assault with a deadly weapon.

At the jurisdictional/dispositional hearing on January 14, 2013, the juvenile court found the allegations of the Petition (as amended by interlineation) to be true by a preponderance of the evidence and declared D.B. to be a dependent child of the court. Physical and legal custody remained vested with Mother under a family maintenance plan. The court approved SSA’s recommended visitation plan and case plan, which provided services for both Mother and Father.

B. Supplemental Petition and Detention

Unfortunately, just two weeks after the jurisdictional/dispositional hearing, D.B. was removed from Mother’s custody. On January 29, 2013, D.B. found Mother unconscious in their motel room and, after D.B. called 911, Mother was taken to the hospital, where she tested at a blood-alcohol level of 0.368. The day before Mother was hospitalized, Father’s probation officer informed SSA that Father was likely to be deemed in violation of his probation and brought into custody.

*1077 SSA filed a supplemental juvenile dependency petition on January 31, 2013 (the Supplemental Petition). The Supplemental Petition alleged (as amended by interlineation): “On January 29, 2013, the child, D[.B.], found [Mother] unconscious in their motel room. [MJother was hospitalized where it was determined [MJother had a blood alcohol level of .368 and also tested positive for benzodiazepines. [MJother was not able or willing to state how much alcohol she consumed. On January 28, 2013, [D.B.] was kept home from school as [MJother did not ‘feel well.’ [¶] . . . [MJother’s mental status is currently being evaluated due to her level of intoxication upon her hospitalization and her statement that she would stop taking her medication for her medical issues and let herself die if [MJother was to lose her daughter. [¶] [FJather reported to probation that h'e has a medical marijuana card and takes marijuana for pain. Further, [FJather had maintained contact with his girlfriend in violation of an existing restraining order, and has not yet enrolled in a batterer’s treatment class.”

At the detention hearing on February 1, 2013, the juvenile court removed D.B. from Mother’s custody and vested custody with SSA. On March 18, 2013, the court found the allegations of the Supplemental Petition (as amended by interlineation) true by a preponderance of the evidence.

C. D.B. Returned to Mother’s Care

During the next 12 months, Mother had her ups and downs, but overall made progress in her case plan. In May 2014, Mother graduated from an alcohol and drug abuse program. Her case manager stated Mother attended every session of the program, tested negative for drugs and alcohol, and acknowledged her addiction.

D.B.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
239 Cal. App. 4th 1073, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/orange-county-social-services-agency-v-nb-calctapp-2015.