In the Matter of the Adoption of C.r. and E.r., Edna L. (mother) v. State of Alaska, Dhss, Ocs, John L. (father) V…

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the denial of the parents’ motion to vacate the children’s adoption and the dismissal of the related CINA case as moot. It held that the adoption statute’s one-year limitation period is tolled only by an appeal of the adoption decree itself, not by an appeal of a separate termination-of-parental-rights order. Because the parents did not timely challenge the adoption, it remained valid and eliminated any effective relief available in the CINA case.