The trial court in this termination of parental rights case applied the wrong legal framework when assessing the children’s best interests, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled.

Trial court relied on an outdated statutory definition of “relative” when deciding to terminate a mother’s parental rights.

The termination of the mother’s rights under a best interests analysis must be vacated because the trial court did not address the child’s placement with a relative.

A trial court erred by exercising jurisdiction over a juvenile, therefore, the order terminating the respondent-father’s parental rights to the child had to be vacated.

The Michigan SCT vacated a COA decision that terminated an unknown biological father’s parental rights, and remanded the case to the trial court for further determinations.