32A-28-17. Qualified expert witness.
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A. The court shall receive testimony from one or more qualified expert witnesses in all adjudicatory hearings pursuant to the Abuse and Neglect Act [Chapter 32A, Article 4 NMSA 1978] and all hearings to terminate parental rights. The court shall receive testimony from a qualified expert witness regardless of whether the parties to the proceeding have stipulated to a finding of abuse or neglect.
B. A person may be qualified by the court to serve as a qualified expert witness if the court finds that the person is:
(1)knowledgeable about the prevailing social and cultural standards of the tribe and is familiar with the family and child-rearing practices of the Indian child's tribe;
(2)able to testify regarding whether the Indian child's continued custody by the parent, guardian or Indian custodian is likely to result in serious emotional or physical damage to the child; and
(3)a member of the Indian child's tribe; or
(4)a person recommended by the Indian child's tribe.
C. When the department notifies an Indian child's tribe of the pendency of an investigation involving an Indian child from that Indian tribe, the department shall request in writing that the Indian child's tribe designate a qualified expert witness to testify in any child custody or termination proceedings that may result from the investigation. The department shall make active efforts to collaborate with the Indian tribe to identify a person to serve as a qualified expert witness.
D. If, after active efforts and in no case later than fifteen days after filing the petition, the department does not receive a designation from the Indian tribe or if the department, after good faith efforts, is unable to retain the Indian tribe's designated qualified expert witness, the department may identify a qualified expert witness who meets the requirements provided in Paragraph
(1)of Subsection B of this section from a list of qualified expert witnesses compiled through cooperation among the Indian tribes in the state and the department.
E. If, thirty days after filing the petition, the department has not identified a qualified expert witness to testify as required by the Indian Family Protection Act, in considering a motion by the department for a continuance, the court shall consider whether it is in the best interest of the Indian child to remain in the department's custody for additional time.
F. At least thirty days prior to an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to the Abuse and Neglect Act and a hearing to terminate parental rights, the department shall disclose to the Indian child's tribe the name of the qualified expert witness designated by the department to testify at the hearing.
G. An Indian child's tribe shall have the opportunity to question a qualified expert witness in all hearings involving an Indian child in which the qualified expert witness testifies, regardless of whether the Indian child's tribe has intervened. An Indian child's tribe may designate a qualified expert witness to testify in addition to any qualified expert witness designated by the department.
H. An employee of the department shall not serve as a qualified expert witness pursuant to this section.
History: Laws 2022, ch. 41, § 17.