T.B. v. Department of Children & Family Services

SILBERMAN, Judge.

T.B. (the father) appeals the final judgment terminating his parental rights to his son.1 He argues that the trial court erred in denying his request for a continuance and in determining that his failure to appear at the adjudicatory hearing constituted his consent to the termination of his parental rights. Because we conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in not granting the father’s request for a continuance, we reverse the consent order and final judgment and remand for further proceedings.

On January 6, 2004, the father appeared for the scheduled adjudicatory…