In re Brayden E.-H.

The trial court terminated Mother's parental rights to her two minor children and awarded permanent guardianship to the children's paternal great-aunt and her husband. Mother appealed, claiming that the trial court's application of Conn. Gen. Stat. 71a-112 violated her rights under the substantive due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions because the trial court was required to determine that termination was the least restrictive permanency plan to protect the children's best interests, and the standard was not met in this case. Specifically, Mother argued that termination was not required when permanent guardianship was sufficient to protect the children's best interests. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the standard was met in this case where the trial court necessarily found, by clear and convincing evidence, that termination was the least restrictive alternative to protect the children's best interests. View "In re Brayden E.-H." on Justia Law