The court may order the department to pay attorney fees for the child's guardian ad litem or attorney if:
A. the child is in the legal custody of the department;
B. the child's guardian ad litem or the child, through the child's attorney:
(1) requests in writing that the department move for the termination of parental rights;
(2) gives the department written notice that if the department does not move for termination of parental rights, the guardian ad litem or the child, through the child's attorney, intends to move for the termination of parental rights and seek an award of attorney fees;
(3) successfully moves for the termination of parental rights; and
(4) applies to the court for an award of attorney fees; and
C. the department refuses to litigate the motion for the termination of parental rights or fails to act in a timely manner.
History: 1978 Comp., § 32A-4-30, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 77, § 124; 2005, ch. 189, § 53.
The 2005 amendment, effective June 17, 2005, provided that the court may order the department to pay attorney fees to a child's attorney; in Subsection A, changed "custody" to "legal custody"; and in Subsections B and B(2), added "or the child, through the child's attorney".
Structure 2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 4 - Child Abuse and Neglect
Section 32A-4-1 - Short title.
Section 32A-4-2 - Definitions.
Section 32A-4-4 - Complaints; referral; preliminary inquiry.
Section 32A-4-4.1 - Multilevel response system.
Section 32A-4-6 - Taking into custody; penalty.
Section 32A-4-7 - Release or delivery from custody.
Section 32A-4-8 - Place of temporary custody.
Section 32A-4-9 - Indian child placement; preferences.
Section 32A-4-10 - Basic rights.
Section 32A-4-11 - Use immunity.
Section 32A-4-12 - Protective orders.
Section 32A-4-13 - Contempt power.
Section 32A-4-14 - Change in placement.
Section 32A-4-15 - Petition; authorization to file.
Section 32A-4-16 - Ex-parte custody orders.
Section 32A-4-17 - Summons; content.
Section 32A-4-17.1 - Notice to grandparents and relatives.
Section 32A-4-18 - Custody hearings; time limitations; notice; probable cause.
Section 32A-4-19 - Adjudicatory hearings; time limitations.
Section 32A-4-20 - Conduct of hearings; findings; dismissal; dispositional matters; penalty.
Section 32A-4-21 - Neglect or abuse predisposition studies, reports and examinations.
Section 32A-4-22 - Disposition of adjudicated abused or neglected child.
Section 32A-4-25 - Periodic judicial review of dispositional judgments.
Section 32A-4-25.1 - Permanency hearings; permanency review hearings.
Section 32A-4-25.2 - Transition services.
Section 32A-4-25.3 - Discharge hearing.
Section 32A-4-26 - Parental responsibility.
Section 32A-4-27 - Intervention; persons permitted to intervene.
Section 32A-4-28 - Termination of parental rights; adoption decree.
Section 32A-4-29 - Termination procedure.
Section 32A-4-30 - Attorney fees.
Section 32A-4-31 - Permanent guardianship of a child.
Section 32A-4-32 - Permanent guardianship; procedure.
Section 32A-4-33 - Confidentiality; records; penalty.
Section 32A-4-33.1 - Records release when a child dies.
Section 32A-4-34 - Duties of employees.
Section 32A-4-35 - Appointment or change of educational decision maker.