Termination Hearings

At a Termination Hearing, the Court must determine whether or not parental rights should be terminated. At this hearing the petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence that one of the statutory grounds for termination exists. The statutory grounds for termination can be found here.

If the Court finds that the petitioner did prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that at least one statutory ground for termination exists, the Court must then make an affirmative finding that termination of parental rights is in the child’s best interest. If the Court does not find that termination is in the child’s best interest, the Court will not terminate parental rights.