State Ex Rel. Children Youth & Families Department v. Kathleen D.C.

OPINION

MAES, Justice.

{1} The issue in this case is whether an indigent mother was denied due process of law in an abuse and neglect adjudicatory proceeding by the trial court’s failure to appoint a qualified forensic medical expert to assist Mother. The Court of Appeals concluded that the district court did not abuse its discretion nor deny Mother due process of law, and it affirmed the judgment of the district court. We conditionally affirm.

I. Background

{2} This case arises out of a tragic incident in which four-month-old Damion C. (“Child”) suffered severe and irreversible brain damage.…