Department of Social Services v. Hatcher

The dispositive issue in this case is *428whether the probate court’s assumption of subject matter jurisdiction over a minor child may be challenged by the child’s parent after a termination decision and, if so, whether the entire termination proceedings should be declared void ab initio. In the instant case, we find that the probate court properly assumed jurisdiction and that the parents’ collateral attack on the court’s subject matter jurisdiction was invalid. Therefore, we reverse the Court of Appeals decision and remand this case for consideration of the other issues that were not addressed.

I…