In re Z.O.

INTRODUCTION

Juvenile dependency courts shoulder a sacred burden in our system of justice. Facing heavy workloads with correspondingly heavy factual records, they stand as stewards of the welfare of each child brought before them. This burden is not an easy one, yet our experience is that our dependency courts carry it with remarkable efficiency and diligence. Rarely do we feel the need to second-guess their decisions. But we must always bear in mind one of the ultimate consequences of dependency proceedings: the termination of parental rights. There are few consequences as weighty. It is therefore incumbent upon us as a reviewing court to ensure that the procedures employed are commensurate with the outcome. As the United States Supreme Court has stated, “The fundamental liberty interest of natural parents in the care, custody, and management of their child does not evaporate simply because they have not been model parents or have lost temporary custody of their child to the State. Even when blood relationships are strained, parents retain a vital interest in preventing the irretrievable destruction of their family life. If anything, persons faced with forced dissolution of…