SB337 Alabama 2014 Session

Under existing law, the Court of Civil Appeals in W.B.B. v. H.M.S., W.L. 2120501 (September 6, 2013), construed the Juvenile Justice Act of 2008 to grant the juvenile court exclusive original jurisdiction over termination of parental rights proceedings only if the proceeding for termination arises as the result of a separate juvenile court proceeding in which the child has been adjudged to have committed a delinquent act, to be dependent, or to be in need of supervision

Before January 1, 2009, the effective date of the Juvenile Justice Act, the juvenile court had exclusive original jurisdiction over termination of parent rights proceedings

This bill would restore to the juvenile court exclusive original jurisdiction over all actions for the terminations of parental rights

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature. This bill would provide that it is retroactive to January 1, 2009

To amend Section 12-15-114, Code of Alabama 1975; to provide that the juvenile court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over termination of parental rights proceedings; to express the intent of the Legislature regarding jurisdiction of the juvenile court in termination of parental rights cases; and to provide for retroactivity to January 1, 2009.