Orange County Social Services Agency v. Lorraine K.

Lorraine K. appeals from the order on the six-month review hearing. She claims she was denied reasonable reunification services, and she challenges the amended visitation plan requiring consent by her children. We find no merit in the first contention, but reverse on the second because it unlawfully delegates judicial authority to the minors.

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Appellant Lorraine K. has three children who are the subject of these dependency proceedings: Julie M., now fourteen years old; Katelyn W., now ten years old; and Michael K., now almost six years old. Each child has a different father, none of whom is a party to this appeal.

Lorraine has an ongoing history of drug abuse and assaultive behavior. The children were detained at Orangewood Children’s Home following an incident in March 1997, when she locked Julie inside the house and shouted obscenities at her for having called the police. She warned Julie, “[Y]ou fuckin’ bitch. If you leave with the fuckin’ police, you’ll never be allowed back in this fuckin’ house again.”

Lorraine habitually used profane and derogatory language in front of Julie, calling her a “slut” and talking to her about sexual encounters with men. She…