Children's right of appeal

[Marina]

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http://www.kidscounsel.org/caselibrary_ ... elodyl.htm

In re Melody L.
Supreme Court
Released January 20, 2009

TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS/ FAILURE TO REHABILITATE/ REASONABLE EFFORTS/ CHILDREN'S RIGHT OF APPEAL/ HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY:

Children's Appeal
Turning to the children's appeal, the Supreme Court held (for the first time) that a child has standing to appeal a trial court's judgment of termination. Citing both Connecticut case law and a decision out of Virginia, the Court concluded that "both the [parents] and the children have a mutual interest in the perseveration of family integrity, and the termination of parental status is irretrievably destructive of that most fundamental family relationship."

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