(A) A petition seeking termination of parental rights may be filed by the Department of Social Services or any interested party.
(B) The department may file an action for termination of parental rights without first seeking the court's approval of a change in the permanency plan pursuant to Section 63-7-1680 and without first seeking an amendment of the placement plan pursuant to Section 63-7-1700.
(C) The hearing on the petition to terminate parental rights must be held within one hundred twenty days of the date the termination of parental rights petition is filed. A party may request a continuance that would result in the hearing being held more than one hundred twenty days after the petition was filed, and the court may grant a continuance in its discretion. If a continuance is granted, the court must issue a written order scheduling the case for trial on a date and time certain.
HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2; 2009 Act No. 41, Section 3, eff July 1, 2009.
Effect of Amendment
The 2009 amendment added subsection (C) relating to the time for hearing a petition to terminate parental rights.