In re Welfare of the Child of R.D.L. & J.W.

Minn. Stat. 260C.301(1)(b)(4) provides that parents who previously have had their parental rights to children involuntarily terminated are presumed to be palpably unfit to parent other children. In this case, a few weeks after Hennepin County filed a petition to terminate Parents’ rights to their four children, Mother gave birth to a fifth child. The juvenile court terminated Parents’ rights to their four older children. The County subsequently filed a petition to terminate Parents’ rights to the newborn pursuant to section 260C.301(1)(b)(4). The juvenile court found that both parents failed to overcome the presumption of unfitness and that it was in the child’s best interests to terminate their parental rights. The court of appeals affirmed. Mother filed a petition for judicial review, arguing that the presumption of palpable unfitness found in section 260C.301(1)(b)(4) violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Minnesota and United States Constitutions. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that section 260C.301(1)(b)(4) is narrowly tailored to serve the government’s compelling interest, and therefore, the statute does not violate the equal protection provisions of the State or Federal Constitutions. View "In re Welfare of the Child of R.D.L. & J.W." on Justia Law