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Washington Supreme Court weighs whether sibling could intervene in termination trial
Summary
On June 13, 2024, the Washington Supreme Court heard arguments over whether a nonparty sibling (identified in the record as MW) should have been allowed to intervene in his sister's termination proceeding and whether the trial court erred in finding the mother received services sufficient to remedy a substance-use deficiency.
TUMWATER, Wash. — The Washington Supreme Court on June 13 heard oral argument over whether a sibling who sought party status in his sister's termination proceeding should have been allowed to intervene and whether the trial court erred in its findings about services offered to the mother.
At the outset, counsel for the mother, Kate Benward of the Washington Appellate Project, told the justices the American Bar Association has identified “the over veil and underinvestment in black families that continues to produce racially disproportionate outcomes in the child welfare system,” and said excluding MW from the termination trial deprived the family of a crucial advocate. “He was excluded and not able to do that,” Benward said, arguing that exclusion “undermines the family's connection and their value.”
Lauren Danskin, representing the Department of Children, Youth, and Families,…
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