A-23-0618 In re Interest of Jordon B., State of Nebraska (Appellee) v. Leah B. (Appellant)
Appeal from County Court for Dodge County sitting as a Juvenile Court, Judge Thomas J. Klein
Attorneys: Douglas Peterson and Joel Bacon (Keating, O’Gara, Nedved, & Peter, PC, LLO for Appellant) and Leslie Remus (Special Asst. Attorney General from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for Appellee)
Juvenile: Recession of Termination of Parental Rights
Proceedings below: After relinquishing her parental rights to Jordon B., Appellant later filed a motion to rescind the relinquishment, which the juvenile court denied. On its own motion, the Nebraska Supreme Court ordered this case to be transferred from the docket of the Nebraska Court of Appeals to its docket.
Issues: Appellant makes the following assignments of error: 1) The juvenile court erred when it denied Appellant’s May 16, 2023, motion challenging the validity of the November 29, 2023, relinquishment of her parental rights; 2) The juvenile court erred when it determined Appellant lacked standing to file her May 16, 2023, motion; 3) The juvenile court erred when it denied Appellant due process by ruling on the claim to invalidate her relinquishment without providing reasonable notice of the May 31, 2023, hearing; 4) The juvenile court erred when it denied Appellant due process by ruling on the claim to invalidate her relinquishment without allowing her the reasonable opportunity to present evidence; 5) The juvenile court erred when it denied Appellant due process by ruling on the claim to invalidate her relinquishment without appointing her a guardian ad litem, as required by the United States Constitution and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-292.01; 6) The court denied Appellant due process when it failed to appoint legal counsel for her on the claim to invalidate her relinquishment; 7) The juvenile court erred in failing to give Appellant a meaningful hearing on her claim that her relinquishment of parental rights was involuntary, as required by Nebraska law.