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260C.317 TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS; EFFECT.

Subdivision 1.Termination.

If, after a hearing, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that one or more of the conditions set out in section 260C.301 exist, it may terminate parental rights. Upon the termination of parental rights all rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties, and obligations, including any rights to custody, control, visitation, or support existing between the child and parent shall be severed and terminated and the parent shall have no standing to appear at any further legal proceeding concerning the child. Provided, however, that a parent whose parental rights are terminated:

(1) shall remain liable for the unpaid balance of any support obligation owed under a court order upon the effective date of the order terminating parental rights; and

(2) may be a party to a communication or contact agreement under section 259.58.

Subd. 2.Order; terminating relationship.

An order terminating the parent and child relationship shall not disentitle a child to any benefit due the child from any third person, agency, state, or the United States, nor shall any action under this section be deemed to affect any rights and benefits that a child derives from the child's descent from a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe.

Subd. 3.Order; retention of jurisdiction.

(a) A certified copy of the findings and the order terminating parental rights, and a summary of the court's information concerning the child shall be furnished by the court to the commissioner or the agency to which guardianship is transferred. The orders shall be on a document separate from the findings. The court shall furnish the individual to whom guardianship is transferred a copy of the order terminating parental rights.

(b) The court shall retain jurisdiction in a case where adoption is the intended permanent placement disposition until the child's adoption is finalized, the child is 18 years of age, or, for children in foster care beyond age 18 pursuant to section 260C.451, until the individual becomes 21 years of age according to the provisions set forth in sections 260C.193, subdivision 6, and 260C.451. The guardian ad litem and counsel for the child shall continue on the case until an adoption decree is entered. An in-court appearance hearing must be held every 90 days following termination of parental rights for the court to review progress toward an adoptive placement and the specific recruitment efforts the agency has taken to find an adoptive family or other placement living arrangement for the child and to finalize the adoption or other permanency plan.

(c) The responsible social services agency may make a determination of compelling reasons for a child to be in long-term foster care when the agency has made exhaustive efforts to recruit, identify, and place the child in an adoptive home, and the child continues in foster care for at least 24 months after the court has issued the order terminating parental rights. A child of any age who is under the guardianship of the commissioner of the Department of Human Services and is legally available for adoption may not refuse or waive the commissioner's agent's exhaustive efforts to recruit, identify, and place the child in an adoptive home required under paragraph (b) or sign a document relieving county social services agencies of all recruitment efforts on the child's behalf. Upon approving the agency's determination of compelling reasons, the court may order the child placed in long-term foster care. At least every 12 months thereafter as long as the child continues in out-of-home placement, the court shall conduct an in-court permanency review hearing to determine the future status of the child using the review requirements of section 260C.201, subdivision 11, paragraph (g).

(d) The court shall retain jurisdiction through the child's minority in a case where long-term foster care is the permanent disposition whether under paragraph (c) or section 260C.201, subdivision 11, or, for children in foster care age 18 or older under section 260C.451, until the individual becomes 21 years of age according to the provisions in sections 260C.193, subdivision 6, and 260C.451.

Subd. 4.Rights of terminated parent.

Upon entry of an order terminating the parental rights of any person who is identified as a parent on the original birth record of the child as to whom the parental rights are terminated, the court shall cause written notice to be made to that person setting forth:

(1) the right of the person to file at any time with the state registrar of vital statistics a consent to disclosure, as defined in section 144.212, subdivision 11;

(2) the right of the person to file at any time with the state registrar of vital statistics an affidavit stating that the information on the original birth record shall not be disclosed as provided in section 144.2252; and

(3) the effect of a failure to file either a consent to disclosure, as defined in section 144.212, subdivision 11, or an affidavit stating that the information on the original birth record shall not be disclosed.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes