In re A.R.D.

With regard to the majority’s holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by failing to appoint a guardian ad litem for Respondent, I respectfully dissent.

Our general statutes provide that a trial court may appoint a guardian ad litem for a parent in a termination of parental rights case, *508“if the court determines that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the parent is incompetent or has diminished capacity and cannot adequately act in his or her own interest.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-1101.1(c) (2009). “A trial judge has a duty to properly inquire into the competency of a…