{ "id": 8374323, "name": "IN THE MATTER OF: D.D.F.", "name_abbreviation": "In re D.D.F.", "decision_date": "2007-12-04", "docket_number": "No. COA07-798", "first_page": "388", "last_page": "398", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "187 N.C. App. 388" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "N.C. Ct. App.", "id": 14983, "name": "North Carolina Court of Appeals" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 5, "name_long": "North Carolina", "name": "N.C." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "636 S.E.2d 787", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "case_ids": [ 12637106 ], "weight": 6, "year": 2006, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "789", "parenthetical": "emphasis added" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/se2d/636/0787-01" ] }, { "cite": "646 S.E.2d 134", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "case_ids": [ 12638739 ], "weight": 13, "year": 2007, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "137" }, { "page": "137" }, { "page": "137" }, { "page": "137" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/se2d/646/0134-01" ] }, { "cite": "646 S.E.2d 617", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "case_ids": [ 12638860 ], "weight": 9, "year": 2007, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "621", "parenthetical": "internal citations and internal quotations omitted" }, { "parenthetical": "emphasis added" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/se2d/646/0617-01" ] }, { "cite": "184 N.C. App. 481", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8186333 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/184/0481-01" ] }, { "cite": "560 S.E.2d 359", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 2002, "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "355 N.C. 221", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 220171, 219953, 219961, 219963, 220092 ], "year": 2002, "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/355/0221-04", "/nc/355/0221-03", "/nc/355/0221-05", "/nc/355/0221-01", "/nc/355/0221-02" ] }, { "cite": "553 S.E.2d 217", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 2001, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "221" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "146 N.C. App. 554", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 11360691 ], "year": 2001, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "560-61" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/146/0554-01" ] }, { "cite": "360 N.C. 588", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 3787934 ], "weight": 3, "year": 2006, "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/360/0588-01" ] }, { "cite": "184 N.C. App. 82", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "184 N.C. App. 76", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8184167 ], "weight": 4, "year": 2007, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "79" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/184/0076-01" ] }, { "cite": "184 N.C. App. 381", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8185896 ], "year": 2007, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "487", "parenthetical": "internal citations and internal quotations omitted" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/184/0381-01" ] }, { "cite": "593 S.E.2d 453", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 2004, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "455" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "163 N.C. App. 350", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8917729 ], "year": 2004, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "352" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/163/0350-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 806, "char_count": 25609, "ocr_confidence": 0.746, "pagerank": { "raw": 6.011112711018113e-08, "percentile": 0.37296074018214964 }, "sha256": "0b28f2dd5dd16f1854860abd392354bb502fb42936f44eb814484a2faf990b0f", "simhash": "1:6cab100af64e6dd4", "word_count": 4224 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T22:19:56.575920+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [ "Judges WYNN and ELMORE concur." ], "parties": [ "IN THE MATTER OF: D.D.F." ], "opinions": [ { "text": "STROUD, Judge.\nRespondent appeals the 1 May 2007 order entered in District Court, Mecklenburg County by Judge Regan A. Miller terminating his parental rights. Respondent argues: (1) the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the case due to petitioner failing to state specifically in the petition that she was signing as DSS director or an authorized representative thereof, and (2) petitioner lacked standing to file the petition to terminate respondent\u2019s parental rights, also due to the improperly signed juvenile petition. We disagree and affirm the 1 May 2007 order of the trial court.\nI. Background\nOn 22 August 2000, petitioner Maureen Geier (\u201cGeier\u201d), a Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (\u201cDSS\u201d) caseworker, filed a juvenile petition pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403 alleging that D.D.F. was a dependent juvenile as defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-101(9). The petition stated, \u201cMaureen Geier, Petitioner, ha[s] sufficient knowledge or information to believe that a case has arisen which invokes the juvenile jurisdiction of the Court.\u201d The record indicates that Geier was a social worker assigned to D.D.F.\u2019s case. The petition\u2019s signature line was left blank, but the address line was filled in as \u201cYouth and Family Services.\u201d Also, directly under the signature and address line was the verification section of the petition.\nThe verification section provides that \u201c[t]he undersigned Petitioner, being duly sworn, says that the Petition hereon is true to his own knowledge, except as to those matters alleged on information and belief, and as to those matters, he believes it to be true.\u201d This verification was signed by Geier as \u201cpetitioner-affiant\u201d and properly notarized. In addition, as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-402(b), an \u201cAffidavit as to of Status of Minor Child\u201d (\u201caffidavit\u201d) was also verified by Geier and was attached to the petition. The affidavit stated, \u201cMaureen J. Geier, Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, Youth and Family Services, 720 East Fourth Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28202 ... is the [petitioner in this action.\u201d\nThe first adjudicatory hearing was held on 13 September 2000. Counsel was present for both parents. Although respondent-father (\u201crespondent\u201d) was served on 25 August 2000, he was not present. Geier was present and was identified by the adjudicatory hearing order entered on 14 September 2000 as the \u201csocial worker\u201d for the case. The 14 September 2000 order granted custody of D.D.F. to Mecklenburg County Youth and Family Services.\nRespondent began supervised visitation with D.D.F. in January 2001. By the 9 March 2001 review hearing, respondent\u2019s paternity of D.D.F. had been confirmed by paternity testing, although he did not attend this review hearing. As of the 25 September 2001 review hearing, respondent\u2019s visitation had been terminated due to missing several visits and failing to contact DSS to cancel. As of 20 September 2001, respondent was incarcerated on charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon, two kidnapping charges, and larceny with a car. He was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in May 2002 and sentenced to an eight year term. Although both parents were represented by counsel at all times since the inception of the case in 2000, neither respondent nor the child\u2019s mother ever filed any response to the petition or any motion to strike or to dismiss the petition.\nOn 8 November 2006, DSS filed a petition to terminate respondent\u2019s parental rights. The petition was signed by Kathleen A. Widelski, attorney for petitioner DSS, and was verified by Leslie Buras, a DSS Youth and Family Services division social worker assigned to the case of D.D.F. In an order entered 1 May 2007, following a termination hearing at which respondent was represented by counsel, the district court terminated respondent\u2019s parental rights on four grounds: (1) neglecting the child, (2) willfully leaving the minor child in foster care for more than twelve months without making reasonable progress to correct the conditions that led to the child\u2019s removal from the home, (3) willfully failing to pay a reasonable cost of the minor child\u2019s care while in custody of Youth and Family Services, and (4) willfully abandoning the minor child for at least six months immediately preceding the filing of the petition to terminate parental rights. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-llll(a)(l), (a)(2), (a)(3), and (a)(7) (2005). Respondent appeals.\nOn appeal respondent argues only two issues: (1) whether the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the case due to petitioner\u2019s failure to state explicitly in the petition that she was signing as DSS director or an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d thereof, and (2) whether petitioner had standing to file the petition to terminate respondent\u2019s parental rights. We affirm the trial court\u2019s order terminating respondent\u2019s parental rights.\nII. Subject Matter Jurisdiction\nRespondent first argues that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to enter the termination order because the 22 August 2000 juvenile petition was not signed by the director of DSS or an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of DSS. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 7B-101(10), -403(a) (2005). Respondent acknowledges that the petition was verified by Geier and that she was a Mecklenburg County social worker who was assigned to D.D.F.\u2019s case. However, respondent contends that the petition was not signed or verified by the director of DSS or an \u201cauthorized representative,\u201d because the petition does not state that Geier is an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the DSS director.\n[W]hether a trial court has subject matter jurisdiction is a question of law, which is reviewable on appeal de novo.\" Ales v. T.A. Loving Co., 163 N.C. App. 350, 352, 593 S.E.2d 453, 455 (2004).\nA court has inherent power to inquire into, and determine, whether it has jurisdiction and to dismiss an action ex mero motu when subject matter jurisdiction is lacking.\nThe provisions of our Juvenile Code establish one continuous juvenile case with, several interrelated stages. A trial court\u2019s subject matter jurisdiction over all stages of a juvenile case is established when the action is initiated with the filing of a properly verified petition. [Vjerification of the petition in an abuse, neglect, or dependency action as required by N.C.G.S. \u00a7 7B-403 is a vital link in the chain of proceedings carefully designed to protect children at risk on one hand while avoiding undue interference with family rights on the other. [I]n the absence of a verification [. . .] a trial court\u2019s order is void ab initio.\nA petition to terminate parental rights may only be filed by a person or agency given standing by section 7B-1103(a) of our General Statutes. One such agency is any county department of social services [. . .] to whom custody of the juvenile has been giv\u00e9n by a court of competent jurisdiction. Standing is jurisdictional in nature and consequently, standing is a threshold issue that must be addressed, and found to exist, before the merits of the case are judicially resolved.\nIn re S.E.P. & L.U.E., 184 N.C. App. 381, 487, 646 S.E.2d 617, 621 (2007) (internal citations and internal quotations omitted).\nA. \u201cAuthorized representative\u201d of the Director\nJuvenile petitions must be \u201cdrawn by the director [of DSS], verified before an official authorized to administer oaths, and filed by the clerk, recording the date of filing.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a). N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-101(10) provides that the word \u201cdirector\u201d as used in N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403 includes \u201cthe director\u2019s representative as authorized in G.S. 108A-14.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-101(10). N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(11) gives the \u201cdirector\u201d the duty and responsibility \u201c[t]o assess reports of child abuse and neglect and to take appropriate action to protect such children pursuant to the Child Abuse Reporting Law, Article 3 of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(a)(ll) (2005). N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(b) provides that \u201c[t]he director may delegate to one or more members of his staff the authority to act as his representative. The director may limit the delegated authority of his representative to specific tasks or areas of expertise.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(b) (2005). In light of the role of social services caseworkers as specifically designated by statute, where the record demonstrates that a DSS caseworker is assigned to the child\u2019s case and there is no indication whatsoever that the caseworker was not an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the director or that she was acting outside of her authority, the DSS caseworker is an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the director for purposes of filing a petition under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 7B-101(10), -403(a), 108A-14(a)(11), (b).\nThe record demonstrates that Geier is the DSS caseworker who was assigned to D.D.F.\u2019s case at its inception, and as such, she was charged with the duty and responsibility under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(a)(ll) to investigate the allegations of neglect of D.D.F. and \u201cto take appropriate action to protect such [child] pursuant to the Child Abuse Reporting Law, Article 3 of Chapter 7B.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 108A-14(a)(ll). Such \u201caction\u201d would properly include the filing of a petition for adjudication if needed to protect the child. Id. The petition and record before the trial court clearly demonstrate the petitioning caseworker\u2019s status and respondent has never raised any question as to the caseworker\u2019s authority to file a petition for adjudication. Therefore, based upon the statutory duties assigned to the DSS director, which are executed by the caseworkers, Geier was an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the director who could verify a petition pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403. The fact that the petition did not explicitly state that she was an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the director does not create a jurisdictional defect. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 7B-101(10), -403(a), -108A-14(a)(ll).\nThis Court held in In Re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. that a juvenile petition that was signed and verified by the social worker as the \u201cpetitioner\u201d and listed the social worker\u2019s address as \u201cYouth and Family Services,\u201d contained sufficient information from which the trial court could determine that the social worker had standing to initiate the action under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403. In Re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. 184 N.C. App. 76, 79, 646 S.E.2d 134, 137 (2007). Both In Re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. and the present case originated in Mecklenburg County and both used exactly the same juvenile petition form. See In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., 184 N.C. App. 76, 646 S.E.2d 134. The only potentially significant difference between the petitions is that there was a signature by the social worker, Betty Hooper, on-the petition as well as the verification in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., whereas Geier\u2019s signature is missing from the petition herein. Id. We held in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., that the juvenile petition\ncontained sufficient information from which the trial court could determine that [the DSS social worker] had standing to initiate an action under section 7B-403(a). In so holding, we construe[d] the juvenile petition \u201cas to do substantial justice.\u201d N.C.' Gen. Stat. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 8 (2005) (\u201cAll pleadings shall be so construed as to do substantial justice.\u201d).\nId. at 80, 646 S.E.2d at 137. We also emphasized in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., and we do here as well, that \u201crespondent has never argued, and does not now argue\u201d that the DSS social worker who signed the verification was \u201cnot an authorized representative of the Director of the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services or' that she exceeded the scope of her authority by filing the juvenile petition, id. at 80, 646 S.E.2d at 137, but rather respondent argues only that the petition does not explicitly state that Geier is an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d of the DSS director.\nThis case can be distinguished from In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. only by the fact that in the present case petitioner failed to sign on the petition\u2019s signature line and signed only the \u201cpetitioner-affiant\u201d signature line about three inches below the petition\u2019s signature line, in the verification portion of the petition. See id., 184 N.C. App. 82, 646 S.E.2d 134. However, respondent\u2019s argument was not focused on the blank line, but, just as in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. respondent argued that the petition failed because it was not signed and verified by the director of DSS or an \u201cauthorized representative.\u201d See id. at 82, 646 S.E.2d at 137. The issue as to Geier\u2019s authority to verify the petition is controlled by In Re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L. See id. 184 N.C. App. 76, 646 S.E.2d 134. We deem the petition sufficient in light of our decision in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., and thus Geier \u201chad standing to initiate an action under section 7B-403(a).\u201d See id. at 82, 646 S.E.2d at 137. Again we stress that \u201cthe best practice is to include a distinct statement that the petitioner is the director of the county department of social services or is an authorized representative of the director.\u201d Id. at 82, 646 S.E.2d at 137.\nB. Failure to Sign Juvenile Petition\nIn the present case, we have an additional issue which did not arise in In re Dj.L., D.L. & S.L., as Geier did not sign the signature line on the petition itself, although she did sign the verification. See id., 184 N.C. App. 76, 646 S.E.2d 134. We must therefore consider whether the petitioner\u2019s signature on the petition\u2019s signature line is an additional jurisdictional requirement under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403 where the petition is properly verified. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403. N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a) requires that the juvenile petition be \u201cdrawn by the director, verified before an official authorized to administer oaths, and filed by the clerk.\u201d Id. N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a) does not specifically provide that the petition must be signed in addition to the signature on the verification. Id.\nWe can find no case addressing what it means for the petition under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a) to be \u201cdrawn by the director,\u201d although the cases citing this statute seem to be using the terms \u201cdrawn by\u201d as synonymous with \u201csigned by\u201d the director. See, e.g., In re T.R.P., 360 N.C. 588, 636 S.E.2d 787 (2006). North Carolina\u2019s reported cases which address the issue of the trial court\u2019s jurisdiction where a petition has an alleged deficiency in its signing and verification under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a) have dealt with petitions which were not verified or which were neither signed nor verified. The common element in all of the cases is the absence of a proper verification, which our Supreme Court held to be a jurisdictional requirement in In re T.R.P. See, e.g., id., 360 N.C. 588, 636 S.E.2d 787. The holding in In re T.R.P. was specifically that \u201cthe district court could not exercise subject matter jurisdiction here in the absence of the verification\u201d of the petition, where the petition was \u201cneither signed nor verified by the Director of WCDSS or any authorized representative thereof.\u201d Id. at 589, 636 S.E.2d at 789 (emphasis added).\nRespondent has not argued that Geier is not an authorized representative of the Director of the Mecklenburg County DSS, that she exceeded the scope of her authority by filing the juvenile petition, or that the lack of her signature on a line approximately three inches above the line upon which she did sign for purposes of the verification has prejudiced respondent in any way. We hold that pursuant to In re T.R.P., the petition was properly verified and it does confer jurisdiction on the trial court. See id., 360 N.C. 588, 636 S.E.2d 787.\nWe also note that the state of North Carolina\u2019s standard form entitled \u201cJuvenile Petition (Abuse/Neglect/Dependency),\u201d form AOC-J-130 (New 7/99) does not have a separate line for the petitioner\u2019s signature but rather has a blank for the petitioner to sign once, only within the verification portion of the form. We will not now make the failure to sign the petition on a separate signature line which was added by petitioner herein a jurisdictional requirement, where the verification is properly signed. See, e.g., State v. Sanford Video & News, Inc., 146 N.C. App. 554, 560-61, 553 S.E.2d 217, 221 (2001), disc. rev. denied, 355 N.C. 221, 560 S.E.2d 359 (2002) (holding that where form AOC-CR-305 provided two blanks for \u201cthe judge\u2019s signature, one directly underneath the judgment, and the other located at the bottom of the form below the section giving notice of appeal\u201d and the \u201cjudge signed the second signature area at the bottom of the form, this was sufficient to constitute signing the judgment and that defendant was not prejudiced thereby\u201d).\nDespite our holding, we do not condone petitioner\u2019s failure to sign on the signature line for petitioner upon its own form and suggest that consistent and careful use of the AOC\u2019s standard juvenile forms may help avoid problems with the execution of petitions in the future. We recognize the contributions of the DSS employees who work on these difficult cases, some of which, just as this case, last for many years. However, we reiterate our suggestion as stated in In re S.E.P. & L.U.E., with a slight modification: \u201cWe take this opportunity to suggest that properly [signing and] verifying a petition is likely to be the easiest part of DSS\u2019s job.\u201d In re S.E.P. & L.U.E. at 488, 646 S.E.2d at 622. Likewise, we appreciate the work of the trial judges, but we also suggest that checking the petition to make sure that it is both signed, if the petition has a separate signature line, and verified before proceeding with an adjudication hearing is likely to be the easiest part of the trial court\u2019s job. This assignment of error is overruled.\nC. Petition to Terminate Parental Rights\nRespondent also contends the petition to terminate parental rights is deficient because it was not verified by a person who is specifically identified as an \u201cauthorized representative of the Director of MCDSS\u201d. Respondent concedes that the petition to terminate parental rights was signed by the attorney for DSS, who \u201cmay be considered an authorized representative of MCDSS,\u201d but argues that the case sub judice is \u201cdirectly on point\u201d with In Re S.E.P. & L.U.E., in which we held that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction for the adjudication order and we therefore also vacated the orders terminating parental rights. See In Re S.E.P. & L.U.E., 184 N.C. App. 481, 646 S.E.2d 617.\nHowever, we have already held above that the original adjudication petition did confer jurisdiction upon the trial court. In In Re S.E.P. & L.U.E., we held that the trial court did not have jurisdiction because the petitions were not properly verified. Id. This case is therefore not \u201cdirectly on point\u201d with In Re S.E.P. & L.U.E. See id.\nPetitions to terminate parental rights are governed by N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1104, which states that the \u201cpetitioner or movant\u201d shall verify the petition. N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1104 (2005). N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103 provides that \u201c[a]ny county, department of social services ... to whom custody of the juvenile has been given by a court of competent jurisdiction\u201d may file a petition to terminate parental rights. N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103(a)(3) (2005). Unlike N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-403(a), sections 7B-1103 and 7B-1104 do not require a termination petition to be signed or verified by the director of DSS or an \u201cauthorized representative.\u201d See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 7B-403(a); -1103, -1104.\nWe held above that DSS had custody of the juvenile under an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, so that the \u201ccounty department of social services\u201d had standing to file a petition under N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1104. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103, -1104. The petition to terminate respondent\u2019s parental rights filed on 8 November 2006 was signed and verified, in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1104. See id. Therefore, this assignment of error is overruled.\nIII. Standing\nIn respondent\u2019s second assignment of error, he contends the petitioner did not have standing to file a petition to terminate parental rights pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103(a)(3) because the trial court did not have jurisdiction to grant DSS custody since the juvenile petition was invalid. In other words, defendant argues that because the juvenile petition did not expressly state it was signed by the DSS director or an \u201cauthorized representative\u201d thereof, the court did not have jurisdiction to enter the custody order and D.D.F. was thus not placed into DSS\u2019s custody \u201cby a court of competent jurisdiction.\u201d See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 7B-1103(a)(3), -1104.\nWe have already determined above that the 2000 juvenile petition was sufficient to invoke the subject matter jurisdiction of the trial court. Therefore, the order dated 14 September 2000 awarding custody of the minor child to DSS was an order from a \u201ccourt of competent jurisdiction.\u201d See id. Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103(a)(3), DSS is a \u201ccounty department of social services ... to whom custody of the juvenile has been given by a court of competent jurisdiction,\u201d and therefore DSS had standing to file a petition for termination of respondent\u2019s parental rights. See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-1103(a)(3). This assignment of error is overruled.\nIV. Conclusion\nRespondent has not argued his remaining assignments of error and they are therefore deemed abandoned. N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(6). For the foregoing reasons, the order of the trial court terminating respondent\u2019s parental rights is affirmed.\nAFFIRMED.\nJudges WYNN and ELMORE concur.\n. N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 11(a) deals with the \u201csigning\u201d of pleadings and provides that\n[ejvery pleading, motion, and other paper of a party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one attorney of record in his individual name, whose address shall be stated. A party who is not represented by an attorney shall sign his pleading, motion, or other paper and state his address. Except when otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute, pleadings need not be verified . .. .\u201d\nN.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 11(a) (2005).\nRule 11(a) also provides for the consequences of the failure of a party to \u201csign\u201d a pleading: \u201cIf a pleading, motion, or other paper is not signed, it shall be stricken unless it is signed promptly after the omission is-called to the attention of the pleader or movant.\u201d Id. (emphasis added). Rule 11(a) contemplates the omission of a signature as a simple oversight, which can be easily corrected when pointed out, and then the case may proceed on its course, dealing with the substantive issues raised by the pleadings. Only if the pleading is not signed \u201cpromptly\u201d even after omission is pointed out does Rule 11(a) provide for the pleading to be stricken. See id. The juvenile code would not prevent this type of minor amendment to a petition, as N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-800 provides that \u201c[t]he court may permit a petition to be amended when the amendment does not change the nature of the conditions upon which the petition is based.\u201d N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 7B-800 (2005). We cannot imagine how the addition of the petitioner\u2019s signature in compliance with N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 11(a) would \u201cchange the nature of the conditions upon which the petition is based.\u201d See N.C. Gen. Stat. \u00a7\u00a7 1A-1, Rule 11(a), 7B-800.", "type": "majority", "author": "STROUD, Judge." } ], "attorneys": [ "Mecklenburg County Attorney\u2019s Office, by Tyrone C. Wade, for petitioner-appellee.", "Janet K. Ledbetter, for respondent-appellant." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "IN THE MATTER OF: D.D.F.\nNo. COA07-798\n(Filed 4 December 2007)\n1. Termination of Parental Rights\u2014 juvenile petition signed by caseworker \u2014 no jurisdictional deficit\nThe trial court had jurisdiction to enter a termination of parental rights order despite respondent\u2019s contention that the juvenile petition was not properly signed. The petition and the record before the trial court clearly demonstrated the petitioning caseworker\u2019s status and respondent has never raised any question as to the caseworker\u2019s authority; the fact that the petition did not explicitly state that the caseworker who signed the petition was an authorized representative of the director of social services does not create a jurisdictional defect.\n2. Termination of Parental Rights\u2014 juvenile petition \u2014 verified by caseworker \u2014 jurisdiction conferred\nA juvenile petition was properly verified and conferred jurisdiction on the trial court where the caseworker signed the verification but did not sign the signature line itself. Respondent did not argue that the caseworker was not an authorized representative of the Director of the county DSS, that she exceeded the scope of her authority, or that respondent was prejudiced in any way.\n3. Termination of Parental Rights\u2014 standing to file petition \u2014 custody of juvenile\nDSS had custody of a juvenile under an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, so that DSS had standing to file a petition to terminate parental rights under N.C.G.S. \u00a7 7B-1104. The petition was signed and verified in accordance with N.C.G.S. \u00a7 7B-1104.\n4. Termination of Parental Rights\u2014 jurisdiction \u2014 signature on petition\nAn order awarding custody of a minor child to DSS was an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, despite respondent\u2019s contention concerning the signature on the juvenile petition, and DSS had standing to file a petition for termination of parental rights.\nAppeal by respondent-father from order entered 1 May 2007 by Judge Regan A. Miller in District Court, Mecklenburg County. Heard in the Court of Appeals 5 November 2007.\nMecklenburg County Attorney\u2019s Office, by Tyrone C. Wade, for petitioner-appellee.\nJanet K. Ledbetter, for respondent-appellant." }, "file_name": "0388-01", "first_page_order": 418, "last_page_order": 428 }