In Re Devin M.

Jesse F. Rodriguez, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Objector and Appellant.

De Witt W. Clinton, County Counsel, Auxiliary Legal Services, Holly Bryan and Jill Regal for Petitioner and Respondent.

OPINION

NOTT, J.

Appellant Inez M. appeals from a judgment terminating her parental rights on the ground that the order results in the severance of her child's relationship with a foster family. We hold that she has no standing to raise that issue. Our decision extends the recent line of cases holding that a parent does not have standing to challenge the termination of parental rights based on the minor's relationship with siblings or grandparents.

Appellant contends that "literal application of [Welfare and Institutions Code] section 366.26, subdivision (c)(1)(D) — under the circumstances of this case — defeated the paramount purpose of protecting the minor's best interests, (parens patriae) violating his fundamental constitutional right to continue to be a part of the only family he has known."

On December 6, 1994, the department of children and family services filed a petition in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Dependency Court alleging that the minor, Devin M., was…