AC45979,AC46006 - In re Ryan C. (“The respondent father, Chester C., and his
minor child, Ryan C., appeal from the judgment of the trial court rendered in
favor of Ryan C.’s intervening foster parent, Jeanette P., denying motions to
revoke commitment filed by the respondent and the petitioner, the Commissioner
of Children and Families, and granting Jeanette P.’s motion to transfer
guardianship of Ryan C. to herself. The dispositive issue in this appeal is
whether the court properly allowed Jeanette P. to intervene in the
dispositional phase of the neglect proceeding for the purposes of objecting to
the motions to revoke commitment and filing the motion to transfer
guardianship.4 We conclude that, in the circumstances of the present case, the
court improperly allowed Jeanette P. to intervene and to file a motion to
transfer guardianship and that her intervention improperly tainted the court’s
adjudication of the motions to revoke commitment. Accordingly, we reverse the
judgment of the court and remand the case for a new trial on the motions to revoke
commitment.”)