Adoption of J.S. CA4/3

STATEMENT OF FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

J.S. was born in November 2017. She was released to Alma1 from the hospital due to the mother’s substance abuse. Jaime asked Alma to take custody of J.S. because Jaime did not want J.S. to be in the juvenile dependency system. Alma was granted guardianship in December 2017. Visitation for Jaime was at Alma’s discretion. Jaime filed a petition to terminate the guardianship in September 2022, which the court denied. The court ruled that termination was premature due to inconsistent contact between Jaime and J.S. The parties were ordered to mediation pursuant to their agreement in order to establish a plan for Jaime and J.S. to maintain contact. Mediation resulted in

1 Alma’s son, A.S., is J.S.’s father. He did not object to Alma’s

petition and is not part of this appeal. He was incarcerated at the time J.S. was born.

2 an agreement with respect to contact. Pursuant to that agreement, Jaime was permitted four hours of visits per week and daily phone calls. Alma, A.S., and Jaime agreed to drug test, with a urinalysis for Alma and follicle tests for both parents. In December 2022, Alma filed the instant petition. The grounds for the…