In re K.C.

K.C., a minor child, was removed from the custody of her mother. Nearly seventeen months after K.C. had originally been removed from Mother’s custody and after a permanency hearing, the juvenile court terminated reunification services. The State then filed a petition for termination of parental rights. Mother argued that Department of Child and Family Services had not complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that, therefore, the State was incapable of making “reasonable efforts” toward reunification. The juvenile court determined that the ADA is not a defense in a termination proceeding and, even if the ADA applied, Mother had not suffered from any failure to comply with the ADA because Mother’s disabilities were accommodated. The court then terminated Mother’s parental rights. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the ADA applies to the provision of reunification services under Utah Code 78A-6-312 and 78A-6-507; but (2) the juvenile court judge did not abuse his discretion in deciding that Mother’s requested modifications to the reunification plan in question were not reasonable. View "In re K.C." on Justia Law