In Re Jerred H.

Jerred H. appeals from an order of the juvenile court denying his petition to revoke the court’s prior order terminating parental rights, and from the denial of his oral motion to declare his stepfather to be his presumed father. The juvenile court summarily denied both requests on the ground that it lacked jurisdiction because the order terminating parental rights was final. Despite our sympathy over Jerred’s predicament, with which the juvenile court was equally concerned, we are constrained to agree with its conclusion and therefore must affirm.

Factual and Procedural Background

Jerred, now age 14, was declared a dependent child of the juvenile court on June 15, 2001, when the court sustained a juvenile dependency petition alleging that his mother had a history of substance abuse which impaired her ability to care for him. Jerred was removed from his mother’s home and placed with his stepfather, Norman, who was separated from Jerred’s mother. Jerred’s six half-siblings for whom dependency petitions also had been sustained also were living with Norman, who was being provided family maintenance services through the Contra Costa County Children and Family Services…