Juvenile court properly bypassed reunification services based on prior orders terminating parental rights to siblings irrespective of pending appeals. At a November 2014 disposition hearing, mother was bypassed for reunification services pursuant to section 361.5, subdivisions (b)(10) and (b)(11). On appeal from the termination of her parental rights, mother argued that bypassing her was improper because the orders terminating services and parental rights with respect to the minor’s half-siblings were on appeal at the time of the minor’s dispositional hearing. The appellate court rejected the argument and affirmed. The fact that mother’s parental rights to her two older children had been terminated was sufficient to uphold the juvenile court’s decision to bypass reunification with the minor, irrespective of any appeals. Further, mother’s services to the older minors were terminated during a hearing at which the section 366.26 hearing was ordered. Since mother did not seek writ review of that order, the order terminating services became final and binding. The bypass order was proper and amply supported by the evidence before the court.
Case Summaries