In Re Celine R.
Opinion
Opinion
B.C. Barmann, Sr., County Counsel and Susan M. Gill, Deputy County Counsel, Plaintiff and Respondent.
No appearance for Defendants and Respondents.
VARTABEDIAN, J.
Dependent minors Crystal M., Celine R. and Angel R. appeal from February 2002 orders terminating parental rights (Welf. & InstCode, § 366.26) as to Celine and Angel. [1] Nine-year-old Crystal is the half-sister of five-year-old Celine and three-year-old Angel R. The children contend the juvenile court erred at the February 2002 hearing by not heeding their attorney's (1) request to continue the hearing for a bonding study evaluating the strength of their sibling relationship, and (2) suggestion to relieve her from representing all three of them. The heart of their appeal raises questions about the applicability of a new statutory exception, based upon sibling relationships (§ 366.26, subd. (c)(1)(E)), to the presumption that adoption is the preferred permanent plan for dependent children such as Celine and Angel. On review, we will affirm.
We hold section 366.26, subdivision (c)(1)(E) simply articulates a fifth factual scenario in which a court could find a "compelling reason for determining that termination would…