8-533

8-533. Petition; who may file; grounds

A. Any person or agency that has a legitimate interest in the welfare of a child,
including, but not limited to, a relative, a foster parent, a physician, the department
of economic security or a private licensed child welfare agency, may file a petition for
the termination of the parent-child relationship alleging grounds contained in subsection
B of this section.

B. Evidence sufficient to justify the termination of the parent-child relationship
shall include any one of the following, and in considering any of the following grounds,
the court shall also consider the best interests of the child:

1. That the parent has abandoned the child.

2. That the parent has neglected or wilfully abused a child. This abuse includes
serious physical or emotional injury or situations in which the parent knew or reasonably
should have known that a person was abusing or neglecting a child.

3. That the parent is unable to discharge parental responsibilities because of
mental illness, mental deficiency or a history of chronic abuse of dangerous drugs,
controlled substances or alcohol and there are reasonable grounds to believe that the
condition will continue for a prolonged indeterminate period.

4. That the parent is deprived of civil liberties due to the conviction of a felony
if the felony of which that parent was convicted is of such nature as to prove the
unfitness of that parent to have future custody and control of the child, including
murder of another child of the parent, manslaughter of another child of the parent or
aiding or abetting or attempting, conspiring or soliciting to commit murder or
manslaughter of another child of the parent, or if the sentence of that parent is of such
length that the child will be deprived of a normal home for a period of years.

5. That the potential father failed to file a paternity action within thirty days
of completion of service of notice as prescribed in section 8-106, subsection G.

6. That the putative father failed to file a notice of claim of paternity as
prescribed in section 8-106.01.

7. That the parents have relinquished their rights to a child to an agency or have
consented to the adoption.

8. That the child is being cared for in an out-of-home placement under the
supervision of the juvenile court, the division or a licensed child welfare agency, that
the agency responsible for the care of the child has made a diligent effort to provide
appropriate reunification services and that one of the following circumstances exists:

(a) The child has been in an out-of-home placement for a cumulative total period of
nine months or longer pursuant to court order or voluntary placement pursuant to section
8-806 and the parent has substantially neglected or wilfully refused to remedy the
circumstances that cause the child to be in an out-of-home placement.

(b) The child who is under three years of age has been in an out-of-home placement
for a cumulative total period of six months or longer pursuant to court order and the
parent has substantially neglected or wilfully refused to remedy the circumstances that
cause the child to be in an out-of-home placement, including refusal to participate in
reunification services offered by the department.

(c) The child has been in an out-of-home placement for a cumulative total period of
fifteen months or longer pursuant to court order or voluntary placement pursuant to
section 8-806, the parent has been unable to remedy the circumstances that cause the
child to be in an out-of-home placement and there is a substantial likelihood that the
parent will not be capable of exercising proper and effective parental care and control
in the near future.

9. That the identity of the parent is unknown and continues to be unknown following
three months of diligent efforts to identify and locate the parent.

10. That the parent has had parental rights to another child terminated within the
preceding two years for the same cause and is currently unable to discharge parental
responsibilities due to the same cause.

11. That all of the following are true:

(a) The child was cared for in an out-of-home placement pursuant to court order.

(b) The agency responsible for the care of the child made diligent efforts to
provide appropriate reunification services.

(c) The child, pursuant to court order, was returned to the legal custody of the
parent from whom the child had been removed.

(d) Within eighteen months after the child was returned, pursuant to court order,
the child was removed from that parent's legal custody, the child is being cared for in
an out-of-home placement under the supervision of the juvenile court, the division or a
licensed child welfare agency and the parent is currently unable to discharge parental
responsibilities.

C. Evidence considered by the court pursuant to subsection B of this section shall
include any substantiated allegations of abuse or neglect committed in another
jurisdiction.

D. In considering the grounds for termination prescribed in subsection B, paragraph
8 or 11 of this section, the court shall consider the availability of reunification
services to the parent and the participation of the parent in these services.

E. In considering the grounds for termination prescribed in subsection B, paragraph
8 of this section, the court shall not consider the first sixty days of the initial
out-of-home placement pursuant to section 8-806 in the cumulative total period.