In re M.P.
Santa Clara County Department of Family & Children's Services v. A.P.
Opinion
Opinion
Elia, J.
In this dependency case (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300), A.P., the mother of M.P., appeals from the August 7, 2012 order that followed a contested jurisdictional and dispositional hearing. On appeal, she challenges only the court’s appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) for her and its failure to hold a Marsden-type hearing regarding replacement of her appointed counsel.
We conclude that the record supports the trial court’s appointment of a GAL for mother and its failure to conduct a full Marsden-type inquiry was not reversible error. Accordingly, we affirm.
I
Procedural History
On January 11, 2012, a juvenile dependency petition was filed on behalf of M.P, then 11 years of age, pursuant to section 300, subdivisions (b) (failure to protect) and (c) (serious emotional damage).
A first amended petition was filed on January 17, 2012. It alleged that M.P. came within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under only subdivision (b) of section 300.
On January 18, 2012, counsel was appointed for mother. The court ordered M.P. temporarily removed from mother’s physical custody and released M.P. to her father pending the jurisdiction hearing. Supervised visitation was…