legal screening and termination

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. What is a legal screening? I never heard of it. Our termination hearing kept on getting postponed, postponed! It took them over a year to actually get it terminated after they filed. I was also curious about your 6 month waiting period? Do you mean that you have to wait 6 months after the rights are terminated? We didn't. This is interesting to see how different systems work.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=pktull]pktull[/url]. I know in Texas that the child has to live in the home for at least 6 months before the adoption can be consumated. So, if the child is in the home as a foster child for 6 months then that is ok. But, if you start adopting a child and the child hasn't been in the home then the clock starts ticking and after 6 months the adoption can be consumated.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=mom2many]mom2many[/url]. In Illinois, before a case is set for termination, the caseworkers (we are private agency) present the case to the State's Attorney and various DCFS representatives to see if there is enough evidence to terminate parental rights. We can't even have a termination hearing until the case passes screening. So far I haven't run into anyone who has heard of legal screening - maybe Illinois is the only state doing it! As for the six month thing, it's the same as in Texas. The kids have to be living in your home for at least six months before you can proceed with adoption. Since we've had ours for nearly two years, we won't have to wait at all to start the adoption process.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=glk]glk[/url]. Termination of parental rights hearings are long & difficult for all concerned. I have been involved in several as the child(ren)'s GAL, and the shortest one took one full day; the longest took several days. The SW has to go through everything that's happened since the agency's initial involvement - all the treatment plans, visitation, everything. They will also have all the professionals that have worked with the family testify; this could include the foster parents. The parents get a chance to tell their side and attorneys have to be appointed for the parents before the hearing if they don't already have an attorney. As the foster parent you should be able to attend all hearings, and I would recommend you attend the hearing if you can - if you are going to have to testify you may not be able to be in the courtroom until after you give your testimony.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. I went to 4 different termination hearings. The first three the bio mother kept giving the old "pitty me" story. Of course every attorney she had (there were four of them also) she complained that they were unfit and not helping her (she actually said one attorney bribed her for sex). The first three hearings were postponed to give her that "one" last chance. Finally, the 4th hearing she never showed up, so the judge terminated them that day. This drug out from the beginning of 1/01 to the end of 1/02 to get this terminated (the papers were actually filed 4 months prior to that). My question is, is this normal for it to drag on that long? I hear from other foster parents that it is typical, but this is my first adoption so I don't know.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=glk]glk[/url]. I've never seen anything like that! My experience has been just one hearing, which may take a few hours or a few days. I've also never been involved in one that did not result in the judge terminating the parents' rights. Sometimes we have had to wait for a written decision, sometimes he does it from the bench - but I've never been involved in a case where the judge gave the parents another chance at the termination stage. It also helps that we have only one judge here for everything, so he has been involved in the case from the beginning and he also handles any other cases involving the parents that may come up. By the time a child has been in care a year he's seen the parents more than once! Thank goodness the mom finally just didn't attend the hearing.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. You are soooooo lucky that you only have one judge! We have several (I have seen at least 3 different judges, but know there are a couple more) that rotate. I think that is one of the problems here.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. Woo-hoo you passed legal screening!! That is where ours was slowed down. Once you have passed it, termination is pretty easy. I have never heard of anyone passing legal screening and not having tpr at the next court date. Hooray!

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=mom2many]mom2many[/url]. Lonni: Boy, your case sounds like it was incredibly frustrating. I think my nerves would have been in shreds after FOUR times in court! Thank God it turned out well in the end! Hope4kids: Are you from Illinois too? How did yours get slowed down at legal screening? We have a court date set for the first appearance already, but no date for TPR. I'm guessing that they'll set that at first appearance. Now that's another confusing thing to me...first appearance is nothing more than seeing if the parents show up. If not, they terminate automatically and if they do, they set another court date for TPR. I already know this birthmom will show for court, she always does. (It's the ONLY consistent thing about her!) I'm glad to hear that it's pretty easy to get termination after passing legal screening...I'm beginning to relax a little and actually let myself believe this is really going to happen! Thanks everybody! Dawn

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=hope4kids]hope4kids[/url]. Yes, I am from IL. We got held up at legal screening b/c the caseworker checked the jails for bmom within 72 hours of the screening and she was not there. But when the case reviewer checked within 48 hours, bmom was there and had listed a new address! They had to go back and serve her at that address and see if they could find her. They did not, and rights were terminated at first appearance. The caseworker said it was the first time she had ever had a case fail legal screening! I think they usually set a date for TPR withing 30 days of first appearance.

Hey friends,Our foster daughters have been in care for 3 years and as of the end of June. August 1st, will mark 3 years since they have lived in our home. It has been a challenging case to say the least, but we just got word this week that legal screen has officially passed. We really have no idea where we go from here. We had conversations with our oldest to kind of feel out how she will react if we get the chance to move for adoption and she is very open to the idea, which really takes a weight off my shoulder, but then again this is the only home she has known for the last 3 years.If anyone has any suggestions or can give some direction to what we do from here, we would appreciate it. This is the first placement that we have had that has gotten to this point. Also, anyone that has been through this process that might have suggestions or advice on what the transition a little easier we would love to hear that as well. Thank you in advance.