Description:

To implement new legislation and recent case law regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act and
foster-care placement in juvenile cases, the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee and
the Tribal Court–State Court Forum propose amending four rules of court and revising 22 forms.
This proposal responds to Assembly Bill 81 (Stats. 2024, ch. 656 (Ramos)), which addressed the
implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. §§ 1901 et. seq.), including ICWA
inquiry, and Assembly Bill 2929 (Stats. 2024, ch. 845 (Carillo)), which addressed family finding
in juvenile dependency cases. The proposal also responds to two recent decisions from the
Supreme Court of California—In re. Kenneth D., 16 Cal.5th 1087, 324 Cal.Rptr.3d 259 and In
re. Dezi C. 16 Cal.5 1112—concerning ICWA inquiry. The proposal would also correct several
technical issues in the rules and forms.

Category: Tribal Court–State Court Forum

Item Number: SPR25-30

Deadline: May 23, 2025

File: spr25-30.pdf