In re A.P. CA4/2

INTRODUCTION

Father appeals from jurisdictional and dispositional orders and findings in which

the juvenile court denied reunification services and ordered paternity testing. The court

further ordered that, if DNA testing determined that father was not A.P.’s biological

father, the court would vacate all findings and orders as to father. Father contends the

juvenile court erred in delaying compliance with Welfare and Institutions Code section

316.2,1 by not immediately ordering paternity testing, before conducting a contested joint

jurisdictional and dispositional hearing. Father also argues that the juvenile court erred in

denying his request for a continuance of the hearing. We conclude there was no

reversible error and affirm the judgment.

II

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In February 2012, the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services

(DPSS) received a referral that A.P.’s mother (mother) was neglecting A.P., who was

eight months old. On March 15, 2012, a DPSS social worker visited A.P.’s home and

interviewed mother and two of A.P.’s three older, maternal half-siblings.2 Mother said

her home was messy because she was in the process of moving.…