New Jersey Division of Youth & Family Services v. K.M.

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

GARIBALDI, J.

This appeal concerns the intervention of the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (“DYFS”) with one troubled family in two separate court proceedings. DYFS first brought a Title 9 abuse-or-neglect proceeding against defendants seeking temporary custody of their children. The trial court found for DYFS and awarded it custody of the children for eighteen months. While that disposition was still subject to appeal, DYFS brought a Title 30 proceeding against defendants seeking to terminate their parental rights and assume permanent…