Department of Human Services v. M. L. B.

Mother appeals from a judgment terminating her parental rights to her daughter, K. Mother, who did not appear at the termination trial, argues that the judgment must be reversed because her attorney “mounted no defense on her behalf, which rendered his assistance inadequate.” However, as we recently have held, because mother did not appear at the trial, ORS 419B.815(8) prohibited her attorney from participating in the trial on her behalf. Dept. of Human Services v. S. C. T., 281 Or App 246, 261, 380 P3d 1211 (2016) (“Put another way, parents’ attorneys cannot save parents from the legal…