Department of Human Services v. J. R. D.

In this case, DHS served mother with a juvenile dependency petition and a summons requiring her to personally appear in court on June 6, 2016, at 10:45 a.m., to admit or deny the allegations of the petition. As ORS 419B.815(4) requires, the summons told mother that “appearing] personally” did not mean having her attorney appear for her,1 and that, if she failed to appear in person as required, “the court may establish jurisdiction without further notice either on the date specified in the summons” or on some later date.2

Mother did not appear personally as required. Instead, at approximately…