Code Section

224.3.  

(a) If the court, a social worker, or probation officer knows or has reason to know, as described in subdivision (d) of Section 224.2, that an Indian child is involved, notice pursuant to Section 1912 of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.) shall be provided for hearings that may culminate in an order for foster care placement, termination of parental rights, preadoptive placement, or adoptive placement, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 224.1. The notice shall be sent to the minor’s parents or legal guardian, Indian custodian, if any, and the child’s tribe. Copies of all notices sent shall be served on all parties to the dependency proceeding and their attorneys. Notice shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(1) Notice shall be sent by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested. Additional notice by first-class mail is recommended, but not required.

(2) Notice to the tribe shall be to the tribal chairperson, unless the tribe has designated another agent for service.

(3) Notice of all Indian child custody hearings shall be sent by the party seeking placement of the child to all of the following:

(A) All tribes of which the child may be a member or citizen, or eligible for membership or citizenship, unless either of the following occur:

(i) A tribe has made a determination that the child is not a member or citizen, or eligible for membership or citizenship.

(ii) The court makes a determination as to which tribe is the child’s tribe in accordance with subdivision (e) of Section 224.1, after which notice need only be sent to the Indian child’s tribe.

(B) The child’s parents.

(C) The child’s Indian custodian.

(4) Notice, to the extent required by federal law, shall be sent to the Secretary of the Interior’s designated agent.

(5) In addition to the information specified in other sections of this article, notice shall include all of the following information:

(A) The name, birth date, and birthplace of the Indian child, if known.

(B) The name of the Indian tribe in which the child is a member or citizen, or may be eligible for membership or citizenship, if known.

(C) All names known of the Indian child’s biological parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, or Indian custodians, including maiden, married, and former names or aliases, as well as their current and former addresses, birth dates, places of birth and death, tribal enrollment, membership, or citizenship information of other direct lineal ancestors of the child, and any other identifying information, if known.

(D) A copy of the petition by which the proceeding was initiated.

(E) A copy of the child’s birth certificate, if available.

(F) The location, mailing address, and telephone number of the court and all parties notified pursuant to this section.

(G) The information regarding the time, date, and any location of any scheduled hearings.

(H) A statement of all of the following:

(i) The name of the petitioner and the name and address of the petitioner’s attorney.

(ii) The absolute right of the child’s parents, Indian custodians, and tribe to intervene in the proceeding.

(iii) The right of the child’s parents, Indian custodians, and tribe to petition the court to transfer the proceeding to the tribal court of the Indian child’s tribe, absent objection by either parent and subject to declination by the tribal court.

(iv) The right of the child’s parents, Indian custodians, and tribe to, upon request, be granted up to an additional 20 days from the receipt of the notice to prepare for the proceeding.

(v) The potential legal consequences of the proceedings on the future custodial and parental rights of the child’s parents or Indian custodians.

(vi) That if the parents or Indian custodians are unable to afford counsel, counsel will be appointed to represent the parents or Indian custodians pursuant to Section 1912 of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

(vii) In accordance with Section 827, the information contained in the notice, petition, pleading, and other court documents is confidential. Any person or entity notified shall maintain the confidentiality of the information contained in the notice concerning the particular proceeding and not reveal that information to anyone who does not need the information in order to exercise the tribe’s rights under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

(b) Notice shall be sent whenever it is known or there is reason to know that an Indian child is involved, and for every hearing that may culminate in an order for foster care placement, termination of parental rights, preadoptive placement, or adoptive placement, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 224.1, unless it is determined that the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 does not apply to the case in accordance with Section 224.2. After a tribe acknowledges that the child is a member of, or eligible for membership in, that tribe, or after a tribe intervenes in a proceeding, the information set out in subparagraphs (C), (D), (E), and (H) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) need not be included with the notice.

(c) Proof of the notice, including copies of notices sent and all return receipts and responses received, shall be filed with the court in advance of the hearing, except as permitted under subdivision (d).

(d) A proceeding shall not be held until at least 10 days after receipt of notice by the parent, Indian custodian, the tribe, or the Bureau of Indian Affairs, except for a hearing held pursuant to Section 319, provided that notice of the hearing held pursuant to Section 319 shall be given as soon as possible after the filing of the petition to declare the Indian child a dependent child. Notice to tribes of the hearing pursuant to Section 319 shall be consistent with the requirements for notice to parents set forth in Sections 290.1 and 290.2. With the exception of the hearing held pursuant to Section 319, the parent, Indian custodian, or tribe shall, upon request, be granted up to 20 additional days to prepare for that proceeding. This subdivision does not limit the rights of the parent, Indian custodian, or tribe to more than 10 days’ notice when a lengthier notice period is required by law.

(e) With respect to giving notice to Indian tribes, a party is subject to court sanctions if that person knowingly and willfully falsifies or conceals a material fact concerning whether the child is an Indian child, or counsels a party to do so.

(f) The inclusion of contact information of any adult or child that would otherwise be required to be included in the notification pursuant to this section shall not be required if that person is at risk of harm as a result of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, or stalking.

(g) For any hearing that does not meet the definition of an Indian child custody proceeding set forth in subdivision (d) of Section 224.1, or is not an emergency proceeding, notice to the child’s parents, Indian custodian, and tribe shall be sent in accordance with Sections 292, 293, and 295.