Judge David L. Williams

Applies to

Termination of parental rights petition

A separate petition must be filed for each child in a termination of parental rights case.

Applies to

Adoption or termination of parental rights petition

Every adoption or termination of parental rights petition must include the case number of any underlying juvenile case and the name of any previously appointed guardian ad litem.

Applies to

Request for final hearing

A request for a final hearing may not be made until the state child protective service agency report and, if applicable, the guardian ad litem report have been filed.

The Movant shall advise the Clerk the amount of time needed to hear the motion.

Attorneys filing motions for hearing before the Circuit Judge must inform the Circuit Clerk how much hearing time the motions require.

If a motion requires more than 30 minutes, the attorneys must contact the Circuit Judge's office or the Domestic Relations Commissioner's office to arrange a different hearing time.

Deadline

5 business days

The original motion must be filed and delivered to opposing counsel by the Clerk's Office closing time five business days before the Rule Day when it will be heard.

For an uncontested adoption, the final hearing must be held within 30 days after the request for a final hearing is filed.

The petitioner must obtain a pretrial date immediately upon filing a petition for involuntary termination of parental rights.

Deadline

5 business days

All motions to be heard at motion hour on the appropriate motion day shall be filed (the original motion) and served on opposing counsel by delivery no later than closing time in the Clerk's Office five (5) business days immediately preceding the Rule Day upon which the motion is to be heard.

Service

Mail

Service by mail requires an additional three days' notice.

Once 60 days have passed since entry of the last order or judgment, any notice must be served on both opposing counsel and the client party at the party's last known address.