In Re Alexandria M.

Thomas M. appeals orders in which the juvenile court terminated jurisdiction over the dependency of his three children, Alexandria M., Jordan M. and Brook M.; set a custody schedule between him and the children’s mother, Tammy M.; and ordered child support suspended permanently. He contends the court exceeded its authority by rejecting the parents’ settlement agreement regarding custody and visitation because there was no evidence that continued dependency supervision was necessary; the custody schedule promoted confusion and instability; the court erred in suspending child support payments; and it showed bias against him. We hold the court abused its discretion by not accepting the settlement agreement and by terminating child support. We make no determination regarding the quality of the custody schedule and Thomas’s contentions of bias. We affirm the order terminating juvenile dependency jurisdiction, reverse the orders regarding custody, visitation and child support, and remand the matter to the family court to determine these issues.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On April 5, 2005, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (the Agency) petitioned on…