Department of Social & Health Services v. Brooks

Appellant Brenda Brooks sought to be reunified with her dependent son, who now lives with relatives. At a permanency planning hearing, the court denied Brooks’ request to present the oral testimony of three expert witnesses who believed she was capable of parenting her son, and ordered that guardianship by the relatives would be the permanent plan. In view of the due process guarantees applicable in dependency proceedings, we conclude the court abused its discretion. We reverse and remand for a new hearing.

Brenda Brooks is the mother of three children subject to this dependency proceeding.…