skip to Main Content
Name: In re J.T.
Case #: C065273
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 3 DCA
Opinion Date: 05/17/2011
Summary

Adult sibling lacked standing to challenge parental rights termination based on sibling relationship. Sister, an adult sibling, challenged the parental rights termination to her younger sibling, arguing that she had a legally cognizable interest in maintaining a relationship with her sibling. The appellate court found that Sister lacked standing to appeal the termination of parental rights and dismissed her appeal. Sister was not asserting her own interest or right, but was asserting the minor’s interest on his behalf. She did not have the right to block the minor’s adoption because her legal rights were not impacted by that order. Sister was an adult sibling who was no longer bound by her relationship with mother; she was fully capable of having a relationship with her brother regardless of whether mother’s rights were terminated.