Family Court

After going to court once a month with Erin for Bram, you would think I would be an expert at it.  But I was completely unprepared for the official-looking 50+ page report that was delivered to me one day in August.

It was a copy of a notice that was sent to the boys' parents from CPS.  In it was outlined in great detail how the boys (all three of them) came into CPS custody, what the parents were and were not doing to get their children back into their custody, and the steps that CPS was taking.  Court was in a week and was set to determine TPR "termination of parental rights."

I got to court, but unlike when I went with Erin, I sat alone, not knowing anyone.  I saw the case planner, and she waved, but that was about it.  

As the foster mother, I was allowed to sit in the gallery during the whole thing.  I could see W's dad sitting with his court-appointed attorney (oddly enough, the same one that Erin had been assigned!) Then the boys' mother, clad in an orange jumpsuit, both arms and legs handcuffed, and surrounded by two gigantic armed corrections officers, shuffled in and slouched into her chair.  

I immediately was so embarrassed.  I don't know why.  I just felt completely... out of place in this courtroom.  This was REAL.  Damn.

Everyone had to introduce themselves and their role.  When I had to say my name and "foster mother," I turned to the boys' mother and smiled.  I wanted her to know I wasn't the enemy here.  

She wasn't even looking at me.

Before the CPS attorney (who, oddly enough, I knew from church) could speak, an attorney (not court-appointed) raised his hand and interrupted, introducing himself as the representative for both the boys' mother and a "close friend of the family," an older woman sitting on the other end of the room.

He said, "Before we proceed, I would like to make the wishes known for my client XX, mother of -- " and he named the three boys.  "It is Ms. X's wishes that X and X -- " he named the oldest boy and Baby O, "be adopted by Mrs. X," he indicated the older woman, "a close friend and former foster mother of Ms. X."

The entire courtroom let out a gasp.

"Since when?" the case planner called out.  "I spoke to her yesterday and this wasn't the plan."

"This is a recent decision," the lawyer said.

So basically, here's what happened:  the boys' mother was giving custody of the oldest son and Baby O up to this woman who was NOT her mother but rather her FORMER FOSTER MOTHER. "The grandmother" wasn't even a blood relative.  What the...

Then W's father's attorney piped up, "This does not include my client's son, correct?"

"Correct," the boys' mother's lawyer said, "when deemed feasible, W will be placed in the custody of his father."

Holy shit.