Sec. 4. (a) A petition to terminate the parent-child relationship involving a delinquent child or a child in need of services may be signed and filed with the juvenile or probate court by any of the following:

(1) The attorney for the department.

(2) The child's court appointed special advocate.

(3) The child's guardian ad litem.

(b) The petition must meet the following requirements:

(1) The petition must be entitled "In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of ___________, a child, and ____________, the child's parent (or parents)".

(2) The petition must allege:

(A) that one (1) of the following is true:

(i) The child has been removed from the parent for at least six (6) months under a dispositional decree.

(ii) A court has entered a finding under IC 31-34-21-5.6 that reasonable efforts for family preservation or reunification are not required, including a description of the court's finding, the date of the finding, and the manner in which the finding was made.

(iii) The child has been removed from the parent and has been under the supervision of a local office or probation department for at least fifteen (15) months of the most recent twenty-two (22) months, beginning with the date the child is removed from the home as a result of the child being alleged to be a child in need of services or a delinquent child;

(B) that one (1) of the following is true:

(i) There is a reasonable probability that the conditions that resulted in the child's removal or the reasons for placement outside the home of the parents will not be remedied.

(ii) There is a reasonable probability that the continuation of the parent-child relationship poses a threat to the well-being of the child.

(iii) The child has, on two (2) separate occasions, been adjudicated a child in need of services;

(C) that termination is in the best interests of the child; and

(D) that there is a satisfactory plan for the care and treatment of the child.

(3) If the department intends to file a motion to dismiss under section 4.5 of this chapter, the petition must indicate whether at least one (1) of the factors listed in section 4.5(d)(1) through 4.5(d)(4) of this chapter applies and specify each factor that would apply as the basis for filing a motion to dismiss the petition.

(c) At the time the petitioner files the verified petition described in subsection (b) with the juvenile or probate court, the petitioner shall also file a:

(1) copy of the order approving the permanency plan under IC 31-34-21-7 for the child; or

(2) permanency plan for the child as described by IC 31-34-21-7.5.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-5-4(a), (c).]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.18. Amended by P.L.35-1998, SEC.19; P.L.200-1999, SEC.29; P.L.146-2008, SEC.615; P.L.131-2009, SEC.65; P.L.21-2010, SEC.8; P.L.48-2012, SEC.66; P.L.42-2017, SEC.2; P.L.258-2019, SEC.3.