Hawaii Revised Statutes
571. Family Courts
571-63 Findings and judgment.

§571-63 Findings and judgment. No judgment of termination of parental rights entered under sections 571-61 to 571-63 shall be valid or binding unless it contains a finding that the facts upon which the petition is based bring the child within such sections and have been proved by the evidence and that the adjudication of termination of parental rights is necessary for the protection and preservation of the best interests of the child concerned and will facilitate the legal adoption of the child.
In any judgment entered pursuant to sections 571-61 to 571-63 the court may terminate the parental rights of one or both of the parents of the child concerned, may transfer the care, custody and control of the child to any proper person not forbidden by law to place a child for adoption or to the department of human services or to any child-placing organization approved by the department, may appoint a guardian of the child, and may authorize the person or the department or the agency or the guardian to consent to the legal adoption of the child.
No judgment of termination of parental rights entered under sections 571-61 to 571-63 shall operate to terminate the mutual rights of inheritance of the child and the parent or parents involved, or to terminate the legal duties and liabilities of the parent or parents, unless and until the child has been legally adopted.
Every such judgment of termination of parental rights when the procedural provisions of sections 571-61 to 571-63 have been followed shall become final and binding upon all of the parties concerned as of the date of its entry and filing, subject to the right of appeal. No such judgment shall be set aside for reasons other than the best interests and welfare of the child concerned, after the entry of a decree of adoption of the child concerned or during any period when the child is in an adoptive home in which the child has been placed by the department of human services or by a child-placing organization approved by the department or by any person not forbidden by law to place a child for adoption. When any such child is placed for adoption, a sworn certificate evidencing the placement shall be filed in the termination proceeding by the agency or person making the placement. Upon the entry of a final decree of adoption of any such child, a certified copy of the decree shall be filed in the termination proceeding and notification of the entry of the decree, without disclosing the identity of the adopting parents, shall, unless waived by the court, be given to each person whose parental rights have been terminated by registered or certified mail addressed to the last known address of each such person; provided that at any time following the expiration of one year from the date of the entry of any such judgment of termination of parental rights, upon the motion of the parent or parents of the child or the department of human services or any child-placing organization approved by the department or any other proper person, based upon the fact that the child has not been adopted or placed in a prospective adoptive home, the court in which the judgment was entered shall review the same and shall consider the currently reported circumstances of the child and of the parent or parents and shall enter its findings as to whether the circumstances, and the present best interests of the child, justify the continuance of the judgment. Upon such reconsideration, the court may either set aside the judgment or continue it in effect, as the circumstances may warrant. Upon the entry in the termination proceeding of a certified copy of the final decree of adoption of any such child and notification thereof to the person whose parental rights have been terminated, unless waived as herein provided, or upon the dismissal or discontinuance or other final disposition of the petition in the termination proceeding the clerk of the court shall seal all records in the termination proceeding and the seal shall not be broken and the records shall not be inspected by any person, including the parties to the termination proceeding, except upon order of the court. [L 1965, c 232, pt of §1; Supp, §333-31; HRS §571-63; am L 1970, c 105, §5; am L 1973, c 211, §1(i); am L 1976, c 85, §15; am L 1987, c 339, §4; am L 2004, c 161, §36]
Case Notes
Paramount consideration concerning child born out of wedlock is the best interests of the child. 52 H. 448, 478 P.2d 844 (1970).
Putative father's rights considered. 52 H. 448, 478 P.2d 844 (1970).
"Clear and convincing evidence" standard of proof should govern findings of best interest of child; specific finding of unfitness need not be made before termination of parental rights. 64 H. 85, 637 P.2d 760 (1981).
Only one parent's consent to adoption was required to place children in custody of foster parents. 8 H. App. 377, 805 P.2d 1215 (1991).

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