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In re A.M.

California Court of Appeals, Sixth District
Aug 18, 2009
No. H033790 (Cal. Ct. App. Aug. 18, 2009)

Opinion


In re A.M., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law. MONTEREY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL & EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. A.M., Defendant and Appellant. H033790 California Court of Appeal, Sixth District August 18, 2009

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED

Monterey County Super. Ct. No. J41706

RUSHING, P.J.

Appellant A.M., father of A.M., appeals from a juvenile court order terminating his parental rights under Welfare and Institutions Code section 366.26. The facts underlying the juvenile court’s assumption of jurisdiction over the child are set out in further detail in this court’s opinion in A.M. v. Superior Court, H033344. In that case, we denied appellant’s petition for extraordinary writ challenging the juvenile court’s order terminating reunification services.

All further unspecified statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Pursuant to appellant’s request, On April 29, 2009, we took judicial notice of the record and our opinion in A.M. v. Superior Court (Dec. 12, 2008, H033344) [nonpub. opn.].

After our opinion was final, the case proceeded to a section 366.26 hearing to select a permanent plan. The Monterey Department of Social & Employment Services (Department) recommended that the court select adoption as a permanent plan. In a report filed before the hearing, the Department stated that the child had been placed with a prospective adoptive family since 2007 and both the family and child were happy and doing well together. The Department also recommended ongoing visits for the child with his siblings who were still in appellant’s care.

After a contested hearing, the juvenile court adopted the Department’s recommendations. The court found the child to be adoptable, approved adoption as a permanent plan and terminated all parental rights. This timely appeal ensued.

On appeal, we appointed counsel to represent appellant in this court. Appointed counsel has filed an opening brief which states the case and the facts but raises no specific issues. (In re Sade C. (1996) 13 Cal.4th 952 (Sade C.).) In the opening brief, counsel acknowledged that this court has no duty to independently review the record pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436, but requested that we allow appellant the opportunity to submit a brief in propria persona pursuant to Conservatorship of Ben C., (2007) 40 Cal.4th 529, 543-544 (Ben C.). On April 15, 2009, we notified appellant of his right to submit written argument in his own behalf within 30 days. Thirty days have elapsed and we have received nothing from appellant.

The appellant having failed to raise any issue on appeal, the appeal must be dismissed as abandoned. (Ben C., supra, 40 Cal.4th 529; Sade C., supra, 13 Cal.4th 952.)

Disposition

The appeal is dismissed as abandoned.

WE CONCUR: PREMO, J., ELIA, J.


Summaries of

In re A.M.

California Court of Appeals, Sixth District
Aug 18, 2009
No. H033790 (Cal. Ct. App. Aug. 18, 2009)
Case details for

In re A.M.

Case Details

Full title:In re A.M., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law. MONTEREY COUNTY…

Court:California Court of Appeals, Sixth District

Date published: Aug 18, 2009

Citations

No. H033790 (Cal. Ct. App. Aug. 18, 2009)