AI Generated Opinion Summaries

This summary was computer-generated without any editorial revision. It is not official, has not been checked for accuracy, and is NOT citable.

Facts

• The case involves the termination of parental rights of the Respondent (Mother) concerning her children, Arayah H. and Savannah H. The basis for the termination included allegations of neglect, substance abuse, and an incident where the Mother was found unresponsive with a methamphetamine pipe in her possession. Additionally, there were concerns regarding the Mother's ability to meet the children's needs and provide adequate supervision due to her ongoing substance use.

Procedural History

• [Not applicable or not found]

Parties' Submissions

• Petitioner-Appellee (State of New Mexico ex rel. Children, Youth & Families Department): Argued for the termination of the Mother's parental rights based on evidence of neglect and the Mother's substance abuse issues.
• Respondent-Appellant (Mother): Contested the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the termination of her parental rights and sought to amend the docketing statement to include issues related to the voluntariness of her plea and ineffective assistance of counsel.

Legal Issues

• Whether the evidence was sufficient to support the termination of the Mother's parental rights.
• Whether the Mother's plea at the adjudicatory hearing was voluntary.
• Whether the Mother received ineffective assistance of counsel.

Disposition

• The motion to amend the docketing statement was denied.
• The ruling of the district court terminating the Mother's parental rights was affirmed.

Reasons

• The Court, comprising Judges Zachary A. Ives, Shammara H. Henderson, and Jane B. Yohalem, concluded that the Mother did not demonstrate error in the proposed summary disposition or in the termination of her parental rights. The Court found that the Mother's arguments in her memorandum in opposition did not present new facts, authority, or persuasive argument to challenge the sufficiency of the evidence (para 2). Regarding the Mother's request to amend the docketing statement to include issues of voluntariness of her plea and ineffective assistance of counsel, the Court determined that the record did not establish a prima facie case of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Court noted that the Mother's plea appeared voluntary and informed, and her allegations of ineffective assistance did not demonstrate that the outcome of the proceeding would have been different but for the alleged errors (paras 3-6). The Court also highlighted that the Mother's claims did not address all allegations of neglect and substance abuse sufficiently to challenge the termination decision (para 5).