Child Abuse and Neglect_permanency planning orders_underlying adjudicatory orders remanded
Permanency planning orders were vacated where the underlying orders adjudicating neglect and
dependence were remanded for entry of adequate findings and conclusions.
Pitt County Legal Department, by Jo Anne Burdorff and Janis Gallagher, for petitioner-appellee
Pitt County Department of Social Services.
Wanda Naylor, Guardian ad Litem.
Gaylord, McNally, Strickland & Holscher, by Emma Holscher, for respondent-appellee Octavious
Matthews.
Graham, Silver, Nuckolls & Brown, by David Silver, for respondent-appellee Tyrone Moore.
Terry F. Rose for respondent-appellant Erica Moore.
HUNTER, Judge.
E.M., the biological mother of T.S., S.M., and T.M., presents the following pertinent issue for our
consideration: Whether the trial court has subject matter jurisdiction to conduct a permanency planning
review while the appeal of adjudication and disposition orders finding the children neglected and dependent
are pending before this Court. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-907(a) (2003) provides in pertinent part:
In any case where custody is removed from a parent, . . . the judge shall
conduct a review hearing designated as a permanency planning hearing
within 12 months after the date of the initial order removing custody . . . .
Id. In this case, the orders adjudicating T.S. and S.M. neglected, and T.M. neglected and dependent, have
been remanded for the entry of adequate findings of fact and conclusions of law. As this Court has
determined the underlying adjudication orders did not properly determine the minor children to be neglected
or dependent, the permanency planning order must be vacated. See In re T.S., 163 N.C. App. 783, 595
S.E.2d 239 (2004) (unpublished) and In re T.M., ___ N.C. App. ___, ___ S.E.2d ___ (No. COA04-17 filed
4 January 2005).