GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1989 SESSION

CHAPTER 152

HOUSE BILL 251

AN ACT TO CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE DISTRICT COURT TO AWARD CUSTODY OF A CHILD TO A PARENT IN A JUDICIAL REVIEW HEARING UNDER G.S. 7A-657.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 7A-657(d) reads as rewritten:

"(d)      The judge, after making findings of fact, shall have authority to make any disposition authorized by G.S. 7A-647, including the authority to place the child in the custody of either parent or any relative found by the court to be suitable and found by the court to be in the best interest of the juvenile.  The court may enter an order continuing the placement under review or providing for a different placement as is deemed to be in the best interest of the juvenile.  If at any time custody is restored to a parent, the court shall be relieved of the duty to conduct periodic judicial reviews of the placement."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective October 1, 1989.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 29th day of May, 1989.