In re Roman D. CA5

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND2

On December 9, 2013, mother filed a petition to declare the minor free from father’s custody and control based on abandonment. According to the allegations in the petition, at the time of the minor’s birth in June 2006, father left him in mother’s care without provision for his identification. Except for two visits in November 2013, father had not visited or had any type of contact with the minor since 2007.

2Father has not challenged the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the trial court’s factual findings, and we have not found any error requiring a prejudice analysis. Therefore, a detailed recitation of the facts underlying the abandonment petition is unnecessary. Relevant facts will be set forth as necessary in our discussion of appellate issues.

2. On January 14, 2014,3 mother caused father, a resident of Idaho, to be served personally in that state with a citation requiring him to appear in the California trial court on January 24 to show cause why the minor should not be declared free from father’s custody and control. Father failed to appear for the January 24 hearing, and the court ordered the hearing continued to March 28. On…