KATHERYN S. v. Superior Court

Introduction

Katheryn S. is the mother of Norma M., who was bom in the latter part of 1990. In September 1996—after the juvenile court had sustained a petition filed under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivision (d), and Norma had been released into her mother’s care under a conditional release to intensive supervision program (CRISP) agreement—Katheryn absconded with her daughter. The two remained in hiding outside of California for more than three years, after which time Katheryn was arrested on a warrant for child abduction and jailed in Spokane, Washington. Norma was immediately returned to officials in Orange County, but Katheryn was not brought before an Orange County Superior Court judge until about five months later.

In 1996, when dependency proceedings were commenced, the public defender was appointed to represent Katheryn; however, in June 1998, counsel was relieved by the court under Janet O. v. Superior Court (1996) 42 Cal.App.4th 1058 [ 50 Cal.Rptr.2d 57 ], based upon her failure to participate in the proceedings. Seven months later, and while the whereabouts of Katheryn and Norma were still unknown, the court ordered reunification services…