When DHR files a case involving your family, you have the constitutional and legal right to be notified of all court hearings and to be heard in each one. Whether it’s a shelter care hearing, adjudication, review, or permanency planning, your voice must be given the chance to be heard.
This includes:
- The right to testify on your own behalf
- The right to submit evidence or documents
- The right to cross-examine DHR witnesses
- The right to present witnesses who support your side
- The right to object to recommendations and findings
Silence Is Not Consent
Too many parents are told to “just agree” or are rushed through hearings without understanding what’s being said. But under Ala. Code § 12-15-307, courts are required to provide parents with an opportunity to be heard at every stage of a dependency or abuse/neglect proceeding.
Don’t Let Them Mute You
If you’re not being allowed to speak in court, you have the right to object and request that the record reflect that you were denied a voice. You can also:
- Ask to make a statement “for the record”
- Ask your attorney to request time to present evidence
- Ask for clarification of what is being decided and why
Policy Reference:
Ala. Code § 12-15-307 – Right to Notice and Hearing
Alabama Rules of Juvenile Procedure Rule 13 – Hearings and Evidence
You are not just a case number. You are a parent, and your voice matters. Don’t let them silence you. Speak up, every time.
